Breast Cancer
Cancer is not just one disease but rather a group of diseases. All forms
of
cancer cause cells in the body to change and grow out of control. Most
types of
cancer cells form a lump or mass called a tumor. Cells from the
tumor can break
away and travel to other parts of the body. There they can
continue to grow.
This spreading process is called metastasis. When
cancer spreads, it is still
named after the part of the body where it
started. For example, if breast cancer
spreads to the lungs, it is still
breast cancer, not lung cancer. Another word
for cancerous is malignant. So a
cancerous tumor is called malignant. But not
all tumors are cancer. A tumor
that is not cancer is called benign. Benign
tumors do not grow and spread the
way cancer does. They are usually not a threat
to life. A few cancers, such
as blood cancers (leukemia), do not form a tumor.
Most kinds of cancer
are named after the part of the body where the cancer first
starts. Breast
cancer begins in the breast tissue. This article refers only to
breast cancer
in women. Men can also get breast cancer, although this is rare.
[Women.com,
pp. 6] Inside the breasts are glands that produce and release
milk after a woman
has a baby. The glands that make the milk are called
lobules and the tubes that
connect them to the nipple are called ducts. The
breast itself is made up of
lobules; ducts; and fatty, connective, and
lymphatic tissue. There are several
types of breast tumors. Most are benign;
that is, they are not cancer. These
lumps are often caused by fibrocystic
changes. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs, and
fibrosis refers to connective
tissue or scar tissue formation. Fibrocystic
changes can cause breast
swelling and pain. The breasts may feel lumpy and
sometimes there is a clear
or slightly cloudy nipple discharge. Benign breast
tumors are abnormal
growths, but they do not spread outside of the breast and
they are not
life-threatening. [Lawrence, pp. 54] Breast cancer is the most
common cancer
among women, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading
cause of cancer
death in women, after lung cancer. Many great doctors predicts
that there
will be about 184,200 new cases of invasive breast cancer in the
year
2000 among women in this country and about 41,200 deaths from the
disease.
Breast cancer also occurs among men, although much less often.
Death rates from
breast cancer declined significantly during 1992 to 1996,
with the largest
decrease in younger women-- both white and black. This
decline is probably the
result of better detection and improved treatment. We
do not yet know exactly
what causes breast cancer, but we do know that
certain risk factors are linked
to the disease. A risk factor is something
that increases a person's chance of
getting a disease. Different cancers have
different risk factors. Some risk
factors, such as smoking, can be
controlled. Others, like a person's age or
family history, can't be changed.
[Lee, pp. 124] While all women are at risk for
breast cancer, the factors
listed below can increase the chances of having the
disease. Some studies
suggest that long-term use (10 years or more) of estrogen
replacement
therapy, sometimes called hormone replacement therapy, for relief
of
menopause symptoms may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer. This
risk
applies only to current and recent users. A woman's breast cancer risk
returns
to that of the general population within 5 years of stopping ERT.
Replacement
therapy also lowers the risk of heart attacks and bone fractures;
therefore,
women should talk to their doctors about the pros and cons of
using ERT. At this
time, there is no certain way to prevent breast cancer.
For now, the best
strategy is to reduce risk factors whenever possible and
follow the guidelines
for finding breast cancer early. A personal or family
history of breast cancer
may make genetic testing an option for some women.
About 50%-60% of women with
certain genetic changes (mutations) will develop
breast cancer by the age of 70.
They also have an increased risk of
ovarian cancer. Genetic testing can tell if
a woman has these mutated genes,
but it cannot predict whether a woman will get
breast cancer. Genetic testing
is expensive and is not covered by some health
plans. People with positive
results might not be able to get insurance, or
coverage might only be
available at a much higher cost. You need to weigh
carefully the benefits and
the drawbacks before you proceed with testing. [cancer.com,
pp. 11] The drug
tamoxifen has been used for many years as a treatment for some
breast cancer.
Recent studies show that women at high risk for breast cancer are
less likely
to develop the disease if they take tamoxifen. Another drug,
raloxifene, also
blocks the effect of estrogen on breast tissue and some studies
seem to show
that it lowers the risk of breast cancer. But raloxifene has not
yet been
approved for this use. In some rare cases, women at very high risk
might
consider a preventive (prophylactic) mastectomy. This is an operation
in
which one or both breasts are removed before there is any known breast
cancer.
The reasons for considering this type of surgery need to be very
strong. They
would include one or more of the following: inherited mutated
genes, an earlier
breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer,
and diagnosis of
certain conditions such as lobular carcinoma in situ. While
the operation
reduces the risk of breast cancer, it does not guarantee that
cancer won't
develop in the small amount of breast tissue remaining after the
operation. The
earlier breast cancer is found, the better the chances for
successful treatment.
Because early breast cancer does not produce
symptoms, it's important for all
women to follow the guidelines for finding
breast cancer early. A mammogram and
a breast exam by a doctor or nurse
(clinical breast examination) every year for
women over the age of 40.
Between the ages of 20 and 39, women should have a
clinical breast exam every
3 years. All women over 20 should do breast self-
examination (BSE) every
month. Together, these methods offer the best chance of
finding breast cancer
early. Each is covered in more detail below. [Vacan, pp.
37] This paper
has covered many things that people have learned and taught.
Breast
cancer is a really serious type of cancer that can be treated if caught
in
the early stage. I have learned many things about breast cancer such as
how
to detect it, treat it, and fight it. Breast cancer is one major fear of
most
women in the world today.
Bibliography
Cancer.com. Cancer
Facts. New York: World Wide Web, 1994: 1-16 Feigenbeum,
Lawrence H. Women
in the 90’s. Dallas: Jovanovich, 1999 Lee, Susan A. Women
Dealing With
Breast Cancer. California: Harccurt, 1962 Vacan, Juile. Cancer in
Women
Today. New York: Teen People, 2000: 25-37 Women.com. Women on the
Web.
Florida: World Wide Web, 1998: 6-9