title: The long-term course of mastalgia.
abstract: Mastalgia is a common condition in women of reproductive years. We have assessed the long-term course in patients with severe mastalgia by distributing a postal questionnaire to 212 patients previously studied in 1983 who had attended the mastalgia clinic at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. 175 patients (83%) responded, with an original diagnosis of cyclical mastalgia (CM) in 120 and non-cyclical mastalgia (NCM) in 55. The median age of onset of breast pain was 36 years (range 12-63 years). The average duration of pain was long (median 12 years), especially if it started in the second or third decade of life. Pain persisted in 68 (57%) of CM and 35 (64%) of NCM patients. In CM patients resolution was commonly associated with a 'hormonal' event, notably the menopause; in NCM patients it more often seemed to be spontaneous. Severe mastalgia ran a chronic relapsing course often requiring repeated drug treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gateley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miers
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Mansel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008019:Life Style; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management; D011379:Prognosis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires