Causes of Pain: The Cancer Itself vs. Treatments for Cancer

If you're just starting treatment for breast cancer, it can be hard to tell the difference between pain caused by the cancer itself and pain caused by treatments. It's normal to worry that any pain you feel after your diagnosis is somehow related to the cancer coming back or worsening, or perhaps even traveling to other parts of the body. Rest assured that any new aches and pains you feel are likely due to the surgery or other treatments you are receiving, or something completely unrelated to the cancer, such as a muscle pull or routine headache. If an unusual pain persists, just be sure to have it checked out by your doctor.

On the following pages, you can read more about:

• Cancer Pain
• Treatment-related Pain