Sophia Bassan’s story illustrates the consequences of chronic pain after a mastectomy. She and other women experience severe, debilitating pain that affects their quality of life, raising questions about preoperative information and recognition of this syndrome.
Bassan felt a stabbing pain under his right armpit and, in the months that followed, suffered stabs that radiated down his chest and back, recounting his ordeal. CNN. His body even became so normal that sometimes he couldn’t wear a shirt or put a fork in his mouth, he confessed.
“I remember thinking I was going crazy,” the 43-year-old said. “One time I was in so much pain that I had to take off my shirt, and then my cat’s tail brushed against my back. I screamed,” she added.
Although mastectomies (removal of the breasts to treat breast cancer) are life-saving surgeries, there is no doubt that they are most traumatic. According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight American women will suffer its effects during her lifetime.
Postoperative pain
Postmastectomy myofascial pain syndrome (PMPS) is not uniformly diagnosed or treated. This triggers frustration for many women who are not listened to by their doctors, who often minimize the severity of their symptoms or lack knowledge about the condition.
PMPS, documented since the 1970s, lacks an official definition, which generates variations in its diagnosis and underestimates its prevalence, which could affect between 10% and more than 50% of patients.
Challenges in treatment
Despite advances in breast cancer survival, PMPS management continues to lag behind. There is no standardized treatment approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and many doctors do not receive adequate training to deal with this complication.
The advancement of the Women’s Health Coverage Improvement Act proposes ensuring adequate coverage for breast cancer-related treatments, although it does not specifically mention PMPS.
Stories of struggle and resilience
The experiences of patients like Jeni Golomb and Susan Dishell, collected by the media cnnhighlight the urgent need for effective and accessible treatment options. Despite the difficulties, many women continue to seek relief from their chronic pain.
Strategies to manage pain have been diverse, from medications to alternative therapies. However, many patients face a continuous cycle of trial and error without ensuring positive results.
Angelina Jolie Effect
The “Angelina Jolie Effect” refers to the public impact generated by the actress when she revealed in 2013 her preventive double mastectomy due to a mutation in the BRCA1 gene, which increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
In 2015, she repeated the phenomenon by announcing the removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes for the same genetic and family reasons, after the death of her mother from cancer.
Impact on public health. Its initial announcement led to a significant increase in BRCA genetic testing in several countries; For example, in the US and the UK, consultations and tests multiplied by up to 250% in subsequent months. This boosted awareness about early detection and preventive options, although it also generated debates about overloading of medical services and decisions without adequate advice.
Lasting legacy. Later research, such as one published in Natureconfirmed a “resurgence” of the effect after the second surgery, with steady increases in rates of mammograms and genetic testing.
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