CYCLICAL MASTALGIA - PREVALENCE AND IMPACT IN AN OUTPATIENT BREAST CLINIC SAMPLE

Background: A descriptive study was conducted to examine prevalence of premenstrual breast symptoms, impact of cyclical mastalgia on various activities, and associated patterns of health care utilization among breast clinic outpatients. Study Design: Patients (n = 231, age < 55 y ears) com pleted a questionnaire about lifetime and current premenstru al breast discomfort (cyclical mastalgia). Results: Seventy-nine perce nt reported having regularly experienced cyclical breast symptoms; 48% have asked a health care provider about their mastalgia. Young women (equal to or less than 35 years) were more than three times as likely to have had a mammogram (75%) if they regularly experienced cyclical m astalgia than if they did not (24%; p < 0.05). Current moderate to sev ere mastalgia lasting 5 days or more monthly was reported by 30% of wo men. This ''clinical'' level of mastalgia interferes with usual sexual activity for 33%, with physical activity for 29%, with social activit y for 15%, and with work for 15% of these women. Conclusions: Reported prevalences of mastalgia obtained in this sample are higher than thos e reported in British studies; possible reasons for these differences are discussed. Cyclical mastalgia is a common problem sometimes severe enough to interfere with normal activity levels, and it is related to excessive use of mammography among young women. Although largely igno red both scientifically and clinically in the United States, this cond ition merits further biopsychosocial investigation. (C) 1997 by the Am erican College of Surgeons).