Patients' Experiences of Sensations After Breast Cancer Surgery in Korean Women

Jeong, Younghee; Kim, Dal Sook

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to obtain information about the experiences of sensations after breast cancer surgery characterized by prevalence, frequency, and severity, distresses, and disturbances in ADL using the BSAS (Breast Sensation Assessment Scale) and to develop the standardized Korean BSAS.
METHODS
Thirty two women from 3 to 100 days after breast cancer surgery (BCS) completed Roberta's BSAS. The 18 sensations of BSAS were translated using the references of Lee's Korean Pain Rating Scale and English-English, English-Korean dictionaries and the consultation from two native Americans, one bilingual permanent resident of the States, and one nursing professor. The Korean-translated BSAS has high reliability in test-retest. Likert type 4-point scale and 100 mm VAS were used for assessment.
RESULTS
Certain sensations remained prevalent (tender, pull, pain), frequent (numb, nag, throb), severe (throb, shoot, numb), causing distress (throb, penetrate, shoot), and influencing on ADL (throb, penetrate, nag). The most frequently experienced sensation other than BSAS was itching. There was little difference in the prevalence of symptom experiences between sentinel lymph node biopsy and axillary lymph node dissection.
CONCLUSION
The women after BCS are suffering from neuropathic sensations. The Korean- translated BSAS could be used in effectively assessing breast sensations after BCS in Korean women.