Breast Cancer
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Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths all over the world. In general, cases of cancer have been on the rise, and breast cancer is one of the common types of cancer. It affects both men and women, although women are affected to a greater extent. There have been advances made in the treatment of breast cancer that has seen the decline in the number of deaths due to the disease in the recent past. According to statistics, as of January of 2019, more than 3.1 million women in the United States have a history of breast cancer, meaning that they either finished treatment or are currently receiving treatment. There has been an increase in awareness that has allowed women to get screening so that they can be diagnosed in early stages where there is hope for a cure. Some of the key areas of concern when it comes to breast cancer are the types of breast cancer, causes, prevention, symptoms, risk factors, and treatments available.
There are several types of breast cancer, depending on the spread of the cancerous tissue. The most common type is invasive ductal carcinoma that makes up about 80% of all breast cancers diagnosed. This type of cancer is called invasive because the cancerous tissues have multiplied to other parts of the breast tissue. Other types of breast cancers are inflammatory breast cancer, angiosarcoma, Paget’s disease of the breast, male breast cancer, recurrent breast cancer, invasive lobular carcinoma, among others. There are five stages to every type of cancer, and breast cancer is no different. Doctors use three factors to settle on the stage of cancer. The first is the size and location of the primary tumor. The second factor is the lymph nodes that have been affected by cancer, including the number and location. The third facto is metastasis that involves the extent to which cancer has spared to other parts of the body. Stage zero is noninvasive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), while stages I to IV describe invasive cancers.
Cancer is caused by an abnormal and rapid growth of breast tissue cells, and these cells form a lump or a mass. The rate of growth for these abnormal cells is much higher than that of healthy cells, and the healthy cells are soon overpowered. The cancerous cells spread to the lymph nodes, or they and metastasize to other parts of the body. Breast cancer begins in tissues and cells in the breast, such as the milk-producing ducts or the glandular tissues of the breast. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of cancer, but scientists attribute it to some particular risk factors from lifestyle, hormonal, and environmental factors. Women who have a first degree relative with cancer such as their sister, mother, or daughter, have a higher chance of developing cancer. About 5 to ten percent of all cases of breast cancer are associated with genetic factors. Breast cancer gene 1 and 2 or BRCA1 and BRCA2 respectively are the well-known genes linked to a higher possibility of breast and ovarian cancer in women. People who have a family history of cancer are advised to get tested for genetic mutations that increase the chances of cancer. A genetic counselor also a person understand the risks and benefits associated with genetic testing and walk them through the complicated emotional process.
Women are advised to get screened for cancer periodically. Most of the time, a person begins to notice changes and abnormalities in their breasts, and this is what prompts them to seek medical examination. The earlier a person is diagnosed, the higher the chance that they can be cured. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of breast cancer include a lump or solidified breast tissue that feels dissimilar from the adjoining tissue (Moodley et al. 2018). The second symptom is an overall difference or change in the size, appearance, or shape of the breast. Some changes, such as a dimple in the skin covering the breast, also warrant investigation. The skin around the nipple may also begin to peel, flake, scale, or crust. The skin over the breast can also redden or pit like the skin of an orange, and anyone who notices these symptoms must seek medical attention immediately.
There are many risk factors that can amplify a person’s likelihood of getting cancer. One of these is age; the older a person gets, the higher the chance of getting cancer. This is the main reason why women over the age of 45 advised to get a mammogram annually. The second risk factor for getting breast cancer is being female. Although breast cancer affects both men and women, women have a elevated risk of getting breast cancer. The third risk factor is a family history of breast cancer (Barnard et al 2015). If a mother, daughter, or sister had a breast cancer diagnosis at a young age, it raises the chance that a person will develop cancer. A person who has a personal history of breast conditions such as typical hyperplasia of the breast also faces a higher risk. Some gene mutations associated with breast cancer are passed from parents to their children, and this predisposes the children to breast cancer (Barnard et al. 2015). These genes include BRCA1 and BRCA2, but they do not necessarily point to the inevitability that a person will develop breast cancer and other types of cancer.
Additionally, women who get their first child after the age of 30 may also be at higher risk, as do women who have never been pregnant. Higher risk is also associated with menses; for example, women who began their period before 12 and those who begin menopause at an older age have a higher chance of developing breast cancer (Kamińska et al. 2015). Those women who take medications to treat signs and symptoms of menopause face a higher risk of developing the disease, but this risk decreases when they stop the medication (Forman et al. 2015). Another factor that increases the chances of breast cancer is obesity. Radiation treatments to the chest, especially as a child, could increase the probability of a person developing breast cancer as they grow older. Alcohol consumption also enhances the danger of developing breast cancer.
There are some preventive options that women can pursue when they are found to have a high risk of developing breast cancer. After consulting with their doctors, women with significant t risk can choose to have prophylactic mastectomy or prophylactic oophorectomy. A mastectomy is the removal of healthy breast tissue, while oophorectomy is the removal of healthy ovaries to reduce the chances of breast and ovarian cancers. Preventive medications are also available, although they are only limited to very high-risk women because of the severe side effects they can cause. Some of these medications are Estrogen-blocking medications such as Aromatase inhibitors that reduce the risk of women who have unusually high chances of developing breast cancer (Forman et al 2015).
All women should also make adjustments in their daily life that will increase awareness and lower their risk of getting breast cancer. One way to do this is by talking to the doctor about regular breast cancer screenings. As a person grows older, the frequency of mammograms needs to increase based on doctors’ recommendations. Women should familiarize themselves with their breasts by examining them regularly so they can identify any irregularities as soon as they appear. Alcohol consumption should be limited to one day if a person has to drink; otherwise, they should avoid alcohol altogether. Exercising regularly is also an important way to improve overall health and wellbeing; thirty minutes of exercise a few days a week is recommended. Postmenopausal women should consult their doctors about the risks and benefits of postmenopausal therapy because it increases the chances of developing breast cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight through exercise and diet also helps in reducing the risk of getting breast cancer. The Mediterranean diet is an excellent example of a healthy diet that helps to maintain a healthy weight (Toledo et al. 2015). Some of the common foods included in this diet are plant-based foods including fruits, nuts, legumes, and vegetables. Healthy fats like olive oil and fish should also be chosen over butter and red meat.
In conclusion, breast cancer is one of the most common types of breast cancer in the country, second only to skin cancer. For this reason, it is important for people to get as much information as possible about the types, causes, risk factors, symptoms, and possible measures to prevent breast cancer. Breast cancer affects both men and women but women to a larger extent. The main signs and symptoms of breast cancer have to do with the appearance of the breast; thus, women should examine them as often as they could. Risk factors include age, genetics, postmenopausal therapy, obesity, exposure to radiation, among others. The general prevention measures include maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise, limiting postmenopausal therapy, regular mammograms, and avoiding alcohol. For women who have a significant risk of developing breast cancer, they can choose to remove their healthy breasts and ovaries and also take preventive medications.
References
Barnard, M. E., Boeke, C. E., & Tamimi, R. M. (2015). Established breast cancer risk factors and risk of intrinsic tumor subtypes. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Reviews on Cancer, 1856(1), 73-85.
Forman, M. R., Winn, D. M., Collman, G. W., Rizzo, J., & Birnbaum, L. S. (2015). Environmental exposures, breast development and cancer risk: through the looking glass of breast cancer prevention. Reproductive Toxicology, 54, 6-10.
Kamińska, M., Ciszewski, T., Łopacka-Szatan, K., Miotła, P., & Starosławska, E. (2015). Breast cancer risk factors. Przeglad menopauzalny= Menopause review, 14(3), 196.
Moodley, J., Cairncross, L., Naiker, T., & Constant, D. (2018). From symptom discovery to treatment-women’s pathways to breast cancer care: a cross-sectional study. BMC cancer, 18(1), 312.
Toledo, E., Salas-Salvadó, J., Donat-Vargas, C., Buil-Cosiales, P., Estruch, R., Ros, E., … & Gómez-Gracia, E. (2015). Mediterranean diet and invasive breast cancer risk among women at high cardiovascular risk in the PREDIMED trial: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA internal medicine, 175(11), 1752-1760.
Jermaine Byrant
Nicole Johnson
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