Recruiting

A nerve block injection to reduce pain after breast cancer surgery

Plain-English translation of NCT07579650 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated September 2026 · Translation generated August 2026 · How we translate trials

Read our Breast Cancer research guide →

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This study is testing a nerve-numbing injection called a serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block, designed to reduce pain after mastectomy (breast cancer surgery) and lymph node removal. Half of the participants will receive the actual numbing medication, and half will receive a placebo (saltwater) injection that looks identical. Everyone will also receive standard pain management during and after surgery.

Pain after breast surgery can be severe and lead to overuse of opioid medications, which carry risks of side effects and addiction. Researchers want to know if this nerve-numbing injection can safely reduce that pain as part of a comprehensive pain management plan.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are a woman aged 18 to 65 years old
you are scheduled for elective (planned) mastectomy with lymph node removal under general anesthesia
you are in generally good health (ASA status I–III, meaning no severe medical conditions that would prevent surgery)
you are able to understand and rate your pain using a simple 0–10 pain scale
you are willing to provide written informed consent and participate in the study

You likely don't qualify if…

you have a known allergy to local anesthetics like bupivacaine
you have a bleeding disorder or are taking blood thinners that cannot be safely stopped
you have an infection or skin problem at the injection site
you regularly take opioid or nerve pain medications, or have chronic pain conditions
you have had previous major chest wall surgery on the same side

What participation looks like

If you enroll, you will be randomly assigned to receive either the nerve-numbing injection or a placebo injection before your scheduled mastectomy surgery. Both injections are given under ultrasound guidance while you're under general anesthesia, so you won't feel anything. After surgery, the study team will ask you to rate your pain at regular intervals using a simple pain scale. You'll receive all standard surgical care and pain medications, and the study will track how much pain medication you need and how well you recover over time.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Aug 4, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

Turkey (Türkiye)

Fatma Acil, Diyarbakır, Outside of the US