Persistent breast pain 5 years after treatment of invasive breast cancer is largely unexplained by factors associated with treatment

Purpose The aim of our study was to establish the prevalence of breast pain persisting 5 years after the initial treatment of breast cancer (BC) and the relationship between those persistent symptoms and general well-being. Methods The study involved women from Victoria, Australia, who had survived at least 5 years from diagnosis, remained free from recurrence or new BC and completed the fifth annual follow-up questionnaire. Analysis involved both multivariable logistic and linear regression. Results Of 1,205 women, 45 reported breast pain which persisted for at least 3 months following initial treatment, and of these, 80 reported pain persisting for at least 5 years. The factor contributingmost to the likelihood of persistent breast pain was current lymphedema; however, a full multivariable model explained