Mapeamento dinâmico da dor aos três, seis e nove meses após a cirurgia do câncer de mama / Dynamic pain mapping at three, six and nine months after breast cancer surgery

Purpose: To map pain frequency and pain intensity according to activities in the physical domain of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH), at three, six and nine months after breast cancer surgery. In addition, to verify the correlation between upper limb function and pain intensity. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study, with follow-up at three time points. 22 Brazilian women diagnosed with breast cancer were included at three months after breast surgery. They performed the DASH questionnaire, the Body Pain Diagram and the Visual Analogue Scale. Frequency measures were used to analyze the frequency and intensity of pain in the items of the physical domain of the DASH. Pearson's correlation coefficient between pain intensity and the DASH total score at the three different times was calculated, a 95% confidence interval was set. Results: For twenty-two women at three, six and nine months after surgery, the body area with the highest pain frequency was the upper limb (UL) homolateral to the surgery, although, the contralateral UL was also cited as one of the areas with the highest pain frequency at sixth and ninth month. Pain intensity at three and six months remained mild and moderate in ninth month. The DASH activities with the highest pain frequency were: “putting something on a shelf above your head”, “doing heavy household chores” and “carrying a heavy object”. The correlation between pain intensity and function of the UL contralateral to surgery at nine months was strong (r=0,718; p<0.01). Conclusion: The body area with the highest pain frequency at all three times points of analysis was the UL homolateral to the surgery, although the contralateral UL was also present in sixth and ninth month. There was an increase in pain intensity over time. The most painful activities were those that required large amplitudes in different planes of motion. At the ninth month, pain in the contralateral UL showed a strong correlation with limb dysfunction.