Effect of non-pharmacological treatment on pain in women with breast cancer

Abstract

Pain is the most dreaded symptom of breast cancer that significantly affects the patient’s quality of life. The aim of this article was to present non-pharmacological interventions used to effectively manage pain in breast cancer patients. This is a review article; studies were researched in the PubMed database. Using the keywords: non-pharmacological AND intervention AND pain AND breast cancer OR breast neoplasms, 6 relevant studies were selected that met the specified criteria on non-pharmacological interventions for pain relief in women with breast cancer. Yoga, acupuncture and electroacupuncture in women with breast cancer appear to be promising non-pharmacological interventions in pain reduction. Other studies on cognitivebehavioral therapy and massage therapies have similarly demonstrated significant reductions in pain in women with breast cancer, whether induced by systemic therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery. Non-pharmacological interventions have been shown to be an appropriate adjunctive alternative in the management of pain in cancer patients, but can be applied alongside standard pharmacological treatment under professional supervision to improve the patient’s quality of life.