Original article / research
Role of Oral Curcumin as an Analgesic for Pain Management in Breast Cancer Surgery: A Randomised Control Trial
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Correspondence
Dr. Sunil Saini,
Professor and Head, Department of Surgical Oncology, CRI, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Jollygrant, Dehradun-248016, Uttarakhand, India.
E-mail: sunilsaini@srhu.edu.in
Introduction: Postoperative pain management is of prime importance to the surgeon, as it significantly influences a patient’s recovery. A multimodal approach to pain management is an essential component of postoperative care. Curcumin, a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, also exhibits analgesic properties. However, its use in the postoperative setting has not been extensively studied.
Aim: To evaluate the role of oral curcumin as an analgesic in the management of postoperative pain following breast cancer surgery.
Materials and Methods: This was a single-blind, randomised controlled trial that was conducted in the Department of Surgical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India and included 60 patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer between October 2023 and April 2024. The study group was administered oral curcumin lozenges twice daily, along with standard analgesics, from Postoperative Day (POD) 1. The control group received a placebo. Postoperative pain was assessed from POD 0 to POD 7 using the 11-point Numeric Pain Scale (NPS) and compared using the independent t-test performed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0.
Results: Sixty patients were enrolled (30 in each group). One patient in the study group was excluded from the final analysis as the study protocol was not followed; therefore, 59 patients were analysed. A statistically significant difference in pain scores between the study and control groups was observed on POD 6 and POD 7 (p-value=0.006). No significant difference was observed between the groups regarding the use of SOS analgesics (p-value=0.322) or drain output (p-value>0.05). No adverse events were reported by any patient in the study group.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that curcumin may be beneficial in postoperative pain management. The use of a nutraceutical such as curcumin, with its favourable safety profile and minimal side-effects, offers a promising option. A longer follow-up period is warranted to fully explore the analgesic potential of curcumin. Additionally, studies employing a double-blind design and larger sample sizes are recommended to provide further evidence of its effectiveness in postoperative pain management.