title: The relationship between malignant wound status and pain in breast cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Skin metastasis is one of the most frequent metastases in breast cancer patients. Patients with malignant wounds experience numerous symptoms, including serious wound pain. However, the features of pain related to malignant wounds have not been investigated. Nurses can experience a dilemma when treating these patients due to a lack of knowledge of the pain. The aims of this study were to examine the quality and intensity of malignant wound pain and to determine the association between wound status and pain in the patients with malignant wounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study was conducted. Participants were recruited from a breast centre based in a general hospital. We collected the patients' demographic and wound management data and assessed wound condition. Patients evaluated wound pain intensity and quality over the preceding week using the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). The association between SF-MPQ results, wound condition, and the time interval for wound care was evaluated using the Spearman's correlation coefficient. The protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee of the each facilities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the 22 enrolled patients was 61.5 years, and the median time after diagnosis of malignant wound was 15.5 months. Overall, 77.3% of patients complained of pain. Malignant wound pain significantly correlated with the degradation of wound edges, granulation tissue, and the time interval for wound care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We consider that it is necessary to provide pain-control care focused on the wound edge and granulation tissue of malignant wounds through the assessment of malignant wound pain and condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Nao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mugita
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Administration and Advanced Clinical Nursing, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontological Nursing/Wound Care Management, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 113-0033, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: hsanada-tky@umin.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sanada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Exudate; Granulation tissue; Malignant fungating wound; Short-form McGill pain questionnaire; Wound care