Assessing the impact of pain on the life of breast cancer survivors using the Brief Pain Inventory

[Purpose] This study attempted to assess the impact of pain on the life of breast cancer survivors using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). [Subjects and Methods] A cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants comprised 30 women, aged 30-80 years, who had received treatment for breast cancer (surgery and complementary treatment) at least 12 months prior to the study and had reported chronic pain related to the treatment procedures. [Results] The highest scores were found for "mood" (median: 5.00 points; first quartile: 1.00 points; third quartile: 7.25 points), "normal work" (median: 5.00 points; first quartile: 0.00 points; third quartile: 8.00 points), and "sleep" (median: 4.50 points, first quartile: 0.00 points, third quartile: 8.00 points). [Conclusion] Pain exerts a negative impact primarily on mood, normal work, and sleep among breast cancer survivors.