Impact of supportive bra use and surgical factors on seroma and pain following breast-conserving surgery: a single-center retrospective study.

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is widely accepted as a standard surgical approach in early-stage breast cancer. However, postoperative complications such as pain and seroma formation remain frequent and may negatively affect quality of life. The potential benefits of supportive bra use in the postoperative period have been suggested but remain insufficiently investigated. This single-center retrospective study included 128 female patients who underwent upfront BCS. All patients were advised to wear a supportive bra for at least 16 hours daily for 3 months postoperatively. Patients were categorized into two groups: regular supportive bra users (n = 74) and non-users (n = 54). Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at postoperative week 1, month 1, month 6, and year 1. Seroma was evaluated using clinical and ultrasonographic assessments at 1 year. Statistical analyses were performed using nonparametric tests. Supportive bra users demonstrated significantly lower VAS scores at week 1, month 1, and month 6 (P = 0.001 for all comparisons). No significant difference was observed at year 1 (P = 0.052). At 1 year, the absence of seroma was significantly higher among supportive bra users (32.4%) than among non-users (18.5%) (P = 0.025). Regular use of a supportive bra after BCS was associated with significantly reduced postoperative pain and improved long-term seroma resolution. Given its non-invasive nature and low cost, supportive bra use may represent a simple and effective strategy to enhance postoperative recovery and patient comfort.