Anxiety and Pain in Surgically Treated Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of anxiety and pain in women with breast cancer. Patientswho had been treated with modified radical mastectomy or breast conserving surgery were included. Datawere gathered using the state-trait anxiety inventory and the visual analog scale. The pain levels and analgesicconsumption of the patients were evaluated after surgery. The study sample consisted of 150 women. The meanage of the participants was 50.54±10.02. Most of the patients (58%) received breast conserving surgery. Themean state anxiety score was 44.74±11.91, and the mean trait anxiety score was 48.78±9.48 before surgery. Themean pain level on the first day following surgery was 3.26±1.91 and analgesic consumption was 2.98±1.08.There was no correlation between patient pain and anxiety levels. There was very slightly positive correlationbetween trait anxiety and total analgesic consumption. Assessing the levels of anxiety in breast cancer patientsbefore surgery may contribute to the determination of postoperative pain.