Postoperative analgesia in breast cancer surgeries – anesthetic techniques and the role of cytokines

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the relationships between postoperative pain and anesthetic technique and analgesic use, to compare preoperative and postoperative serum cytokine levels, and to determine the influence of the anesthetic technique on these levels in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Materials and methods: Thirty-six patients undergoing oncological breast surgery were allocated to general anesthesia only (G; N = 20) and general anesthesia with erector spinae plane block (ESPB, E; N = 16) groups. Postoperative pain intensity was evaluated using a visual analogue scale at three periods (M): 2, 24, and 48 hours after the end of surgery (M2, M24, and M48, resp.). Blood was collected preoperatively, before the induction of general anesthesia (M0), and at M24 and M48. Plasma interleukin (IL) -1, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Associations between categorical variables were evaluated using the Fisher’s exact test. Pain scores and cytokine levels were compared between groups G and E and between patients undergoing mastectomy and quadrantectomy using repeated-measures analysis of variance. The significance level adopted for all tests was 5.0%. Results: Moderate to severe pain was more frequent in group G than in group E at M24 (P = 0.016). The IL-8 level was lower in group E than in group G (P = 0.029). In the whole cohort, TNF-α level was reduced at M48 (P = 0.010), IL-8 level was reduced at M24 (P < 0.001), and IL-1 level was increased at M48 (P < 0.001). Conclusions: ESPB is an effective alternative in cases with contraindications or technical difficulties with other anesthetic techniques, such as epidurals. Its use could improve women’s quality of life and health after breast cancer surgery.