Association between Shoulder Range of Motion and Pain Catastrophizing Scale in Breast Cancer Patients after Surgery

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Prolonged survival period as a result of early diagnosis and treatment in breast cancer has increased the importance of postoperative morbidities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of pain ca­tastrophizing with shoulder pain in patients with decreased shoulder range of motion in the postoperative period. <b><i>Patients and Methods:</i></b> The present study included 53 patients who underwent surgery due to breast cancer. Patients who had bilateral mastectomy, distant metastases, cervical-cranial originated lesions, patients with problems involving one of the shoulders or upper extremities before the operation, and patients with cognitive impairment, heart failure, or low albumin levels (liver parenchyma disease or renal failure) were excluded. Shoulder range of motion was measured in the postoperative period, and two study groups were established: one with a limited shoulder range of motion level and the other with a normal level. Effects of pain catastrophizing and shoulder pain severity on shoulder range of motion limitation were compared between the two groups. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The average age of 53 female patients who had breast surgery was 52.3 ± 10.5 years. In the group with limited shoulder range of motion, the median pain catastrophizing scale value was 27 (range 5–32) and the shoulder pain severity score was 4 (range 0–8), while in the group with normal shoulder range of motion these values were 11 (range 3–39) and 2 (range 0–6), respectively (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.05). In addition, it was found that factors such as surgical treatment modality and postoperative radiotherapy did not significantly affect shoulder range of motion limitation. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Determining the pain catastrophizing scale of patients and controlling pain in the early postoperative period could have positive effects on shoulder range of motion.