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Breast Cancer

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Breast Cancer
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May 3, 2012

Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer is the most common cancer that women may face in their lifetime. It can occur at any age, but is more likely to occur after the age of 40 and as we get older. Breast cancer is an unrestrained growth of breast cells, which take places as a result of modifications, or abnormal changes in the genes, that is responsible for stabilizing the growth of cells and keeping them healthy. The genes are in each cell’s nucleus, which acts as the “control room” of each cell. Normally, the cells in our bodies replace themselves through a systematic process of cell growth: healthy new cells take over as old ones die out. But over time, transformations can turn on certain genes and turn off others in a cell. That changed cell gains the ability to keep dividing without control or order, producing more cells just like it and forming a tumor. Breast Cancer affects many women during their lives. Also, there are a number of risk factors that can cause this disease, besides inherited traits. Because of certain factors, some woman may have a greater chance of developing breast cancer than others, whether it is by heredity or not. As you get older your best defense is to know about this disease and learn what you can do about it and save your life.
A risk factor is anything that affects your chances of getting breast cancer. There are different kinds of risk factors to be aware of. Some factors, such as a person's age or race, can not be changed. Some can be related to personal activities such as smoking, drinking, and diets. Still others are linked to cancer-causing factors in the environment. Some factors influence risk more than others, and your risk for breast cancer can change over time, due to factors such as aging or lifestyle changes. The best defense is to find breast cancer as early as possible, when it is easier to treat.
Risk factors do not tell us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several, does not necessarily mean that you will get the disease. Most women who have one or more breast cancer risk factors never develop the disease, while many women with breast cancer have no apparent risk factors (other than being a woman and growing older). Even when a woman with risk factors develops breast cancer, it is hard to know just how much these factors may have contributed to her cancer.
Finding breast cancer early is called “early detection”. The American Cancer Society recommends the following for early detection: “Women should have mammograms each year starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as they are in good health. A breast exam performed by a doctor or nurse should be a part of a regular check-up.” ("American Cancer Society", 2012). Young women, in their early 20s should also be watchful, we as young adults should know the steps of doing a breast self exam (BSE). We should be aware of how our breasts normally look and feel and report any new breast changes to a healthcare professional as soon as they are found. Finding a breast change does not necessarily mean there is a cancer, though. When we examine our breasts, we should have our technique reviewed during our periodic health exams by our doctor to insure that we are doing it properly.
Breast cancer type is categorized by whether it begins in the ducts or lobules, and the organs responsible for breast milk production. Understanding the specific type of breast cancer can help you ask better questions and work with your physicians to get the best breast cancer treatments. The 3 most common types of breast cancer are Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma (IDC), Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ (DCIS), and Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC).
According to American Cancer Society (2012), “IDC is the most common type of breast cancer representing 78% of all malignancies. These lesions appear as stellate (star like) or well-circumscribed (rounded) areas on mammograms. The stellate lesions generally have a poorer diagnosis. About 80% of all breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinomas. Invasive means that the cancer has “invaded” or spread to the surrounding breast tissues. Ductal means that the cancer began in the milk ducts, which are the “pipes” that carry milk from the milk-producing lobules to the nipple. Carcinoma refers to any cancer that begins in the skin or other tissues that cover internal organs, such as breast tissue. All together, “invasive ductal carcinoma” refers to cancer that has broken through the wall of the milk duct and begun to invade the tissues of the breast. Over time, invasive ductal carcinoma can spread to the lymph nodes and possibly to other areas of the body.”
According to American Cancer Society (2012), “DCIS is a type of early breast cancer confined to the inside of the ductal system. This is the most common type of NON-invasive breast cancer. Ductal means that the cancer starts inside the milk ducts, carcinoma refers to any cancer that begins in the skin or other tissues (including breast tissue) that cover or line the internal organs, and in situ means "in its original place." DCIS is called "non-invasive" because it hasn’t spread beyond the milk duct into any normal surrounding breast tissue. DCIS is not life-threatening, but having DCIS can increase the risk of developing an invasive breast cancer later on. When you have had DCIS, you are at higher risk for the cancer coming back or for developing a new breast cancer than a person who has never had breast cancer before. Most recurrences happen within the 5 to 10 years after initial diagnosis. The chances of a recurrence are under 30%.”
According to American Cancer Society (2012), “Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and very aggressive type of breast cancer that causes the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast to become blocked. This type of breast cancer is called "inflammatory" because the breast often looks swollen and red, or "inflamed". IBC accounts for 1% to 5% of all breast cancer cases in the United States. According to the National Cancer Institute, about 1-5% of all breast cancer cases in the United States are inflammatory breast cancers. IBC tends to grow and spread quickly, with symptoms worsening within days or even hours. It is important to recognize symptoms and seek early treatment. Although inflammatory breast cancer is a serious diagnosis, keep in mind that treatments today are better at controlling the disease than they used to be. Like other forms of breast cancer, IBC can also affect men.”
Simply being a woman is the main risk factor for developing breast cancer. Although women have many more breast cells than men, the main reason they develop more breast cancer is because their breast cells are constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Men can develop breast cancer, but this disease is about 100 times more common among women than men. Women who have had more menstrual cycles because they started menstruating at an early age (before age 12) or who went through menopause at a later age (after age 55) have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. The increase in risk may be due to a longer lifetime exposure to the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Surgery is the backbone of therapy for breast cancer. The choice of which type of surgery (mastectomy or a lumpectomy) is based on a number of factors, including the size and location of the tumor, the type of tumor and the person's overall health and personal wishes. Breast-sparing surgery is often possible. The cancer is staged, using the information from surgery and from other tests. Staging is a classification that reflects the extent and spread of a tumor and has an impact on treatment decisions and also the prognosis for recovery. Staging in breast cancer is based on the size of the tumor, which parts of the breast are involved, how many, and which lymph nodes are affected, and whether the cancer has metastasized to another part of the body, Followed by sessions of Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy. There is also Complementary and alterative therapy.
Each cancer is different. Some cancers, especially if caught at an early stage, are simple to treat, while others are more difficult. Many women recover completely, while others live for years with their cancer in control. At first, most people need some time to adjust to the fact that they have cancer. Getting support from family is important, it helps with the coping. Getting news like this can affect you emotionally. It is all about taking the time to understand what you need to do and prepare yourself mentally and physically to beat this disease. A great way to cope with breast cancer is learning as much as you can about it and its treatment. Find out about reliable resources, reaching out to friends, family or support groups/organizations.
Finding out what type of resources out there available to you in your area is important. Your health care team should be your first support. Some people worry that asking for support is a sign of weakness. You may feel that the need to “be strong” and handle things on your own is best. It is not, you do not have to be alone during this journey to be strong. Support can come from many places. With your family and friends, consider (along with health care team), support groups, your church, etc. Asking for support is one way you can stay in control of your situation. Talking about what is going on and how you feel can bring comfort and reassurance.
Learning to find out that when someone you know or love is diagnosed with Breast Cancer, can tremendously affect not that person, but you and your family as well. My mom was diagnosed earlier this year with stage 2 IDC Breast Cancer. We taught that cancer was only passed on by heredity traits, but boy was we wrong! Finding out that there was numerous risk factors out there that can cause this disease were news for my family and me. As I watched my mom take on the news of her having cancer, I watch how depressed and hurt it made her feel, and I felt her pain. I did not want her to go through this battle alone and feeling like there is no coming back from recovering. I took it upon myself to look into this disease, the before and after and show her that there is still hope to enjoy life. We took this opportunity to know all that we could about cancer and learned that there is life after cancer. While cancer is a major event for all who are diagnosed, it brings with it the chance for growth. As hard as treatment can be, cancer survivors should realize that the experience led them to make important changes in their lives. They should now take the time to appreciate each new day and learn how to take better care of themselves and value how others (family and friends) care for them. Sometimes it is great to draw from your experience to become advocates to improve cancer research, treatment, and care and help others.

References
Brochures
“After Diagnosis: A guide for Patients and Families” by American Cancer Society, 2006
“Cancer Facts for Women” by American Cancer Society, 2006
Library
“Breast Cancer Survivorship and Surveillance”
Radiologic Technology (Radial Technol), 2011 Sep-Oct; 83(1): 63M-7M (89REF)
“Living with and Beyond Breast Cancer”
Journal of community Nursing (J Community Nurs), 2012 Jan-Feb; 26(1):6-8, 10, 12 (40ref)
Web Resources
“National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.” www.nationalbreastcancer.org “About Breast Cancer”, Resource Library: The National Cancer Institute “Taking Time: Support for People with Cancer”
American Cancer Society. "Breast Cancer." <http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/index>.

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