Breast Cancer Research Paper

Breast Cancer Research Paper

We have been taught and are reminded frequently by public service announcements and by the medical community that when a woman discovers a lump on her breast she should go to the doctor immediately. Some women who have inflammatory breast cancer may remain undiagnosed for long periods, even while seeing their doctor to learn the cause of her symptoms.

“Our mission is to achieve prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime by providing critical funding for innovative clinical and genetic research at leading medical centers worldwide, and increasing public awareness about good breast health.” This is a mission statement made from Evelyn H. Lauder. She is the founder of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Breast Cancer takes a woman’s life every 13 minutes. This is a number that is outrageous. This is something that terrifies me to no end. When breast cancer runs in your family, you think about cancer a lot. It is the leading cause of death for women between the ages of forty and fifty five and this year more than 200,000 new cases are expected in the U.S. Women are not the only ones susceptible to the disease. It is estimated in 2004, 1,600 men will die of breast cancer. With so many people affected by this disease, how is it that so many are unaware of the consequences of ignorance? No one is completely immune to the disease and it is important that everyone, male and female, educate themselves on the topic. Common myths need to be clarified; risk factors need to be addressed, early signs need to be recognized, and treatment options need to be discussed. Education is the first step toward beating this disease.

I chose this topic because I am a young woman and I am at risk for breast cancer. My grandmother was diagnosed several years ago, and had a mastectomy. I think it is very important for all women to be knowledgeable about breast cancer because one in every eight women will get the disease in their lifetime. If this was put up on a website, many people would have access to the information and could educate themselves on the disease. That is the first step toward beating it. More women in the United States are living with breast cancer than any other cancer, excluding skin cancer. Statistics show that approximately three million women are living with the disease: two million who have been diagnosed, and one million who do not yet know they have it. A woman in the United States has a one in eight chance of developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is described as invasive when the cancer has spread to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, under the arm, or other parts of the body. Non-invasive cancer is known as �in situ breast cancer’.

Breast cancer is only one of 200 different types of cancer. It is considered a woman’s disease but both men and women have the disease. Every year, more than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Twelve percent of all women will get the disease and 3.5% of them will die. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women who are 40 to 55 years old. Cancer occurs when cells divide uncontrollably. Cells keep dividing even though new cells are not needed. Change from normal to cancerous cells requires gene alterations. Altered genes and uncontrolled growth may lead to tumors. These tumors can be benign (NOT cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Benign tumors won’t spread but it can damage tissues around it. Malignant tumors invade, damage, and destroy nearby tissues and can spread. Cancer can spread throughout the body when cancer cells break away from malignant tumors and enter the bloodstream. Cancer cells from breast cancer are mostly found in the lymph nodes under the arm when it “spreads.“ When cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it has the same name as the original cancer. So, if you breast cancer ends up in your lungs, it is still called breast cancer!

Breast cancer usually occurs in women between the ages of 35 and 65, even though fifty percent of all breast cancer is of women sixty-five and older. The chance of women getting breast cancer has risen within the last couple decades. Between 1973 and 1989, the chance of getting breast cancer rose, on average, at 1.7% per year. In 1960, one out of twenty women had breast cancer. Sadly, it is now one out of nine. Even though the exact cause of cancer is unknown, there are many factors that increase your chance of getting the disease. These factors only account for only 30% of all cases of breast cancer. The other 70% are unknown.

A family history of breast cancer may increase your risk of breast cancer. But just because someone in your family has breast cancer does not mean you will have it too. About 75% of patients with breast cancer do not have a family history of breast cancer early menstruation, late menopause - Menstruation before the age of 12 and menopause after the age of 50 can increase your risk of cancer.

Women who are older have a higher risk than women who are younger. Also, women who have their first pregnancy after the age of 40 may get the disease. Food with less fat and more fiber are safer. Being obese may also increase your risk.

Researchers in the New York State Department of Health have found that women on Long Island who grew up within a mile of a chemical plant have a greater chance of getting breast cancer if they lived further away from the chemical plant.

Even though white women are more likely to get cancer than African-American women, African-American women are more likely to die from cancer. Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian women have a lower risk of getting breast cancer.

A study showed that women using birth control pills have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer. Hormone replacement therapy - Most studies suggest that use of HRT for relief of menopause symptoms for more than 5 years may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer. Women who have 2 to 5 drinks daily have about 1 1/2 times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. There are several symptoms of breast cancer. Early cancer may not show any symptoms at all but as time goes by and the cancer grows, there may be symptoms. You may get a lump or a thickening in or near the breast. Change in its shape or contour, swelling, thickening, pore enlargement, retraction or dry skin of the nipple, nipple discharge, pain or tenderness. It is usually found in a person’s breast as a hard lump that is painless. In some cases, pain and tenderness may occur. Bloody discharges occur in about 33% of patients with breast cancer. Your breast may also begin to look and feel different. Your breasts may look like

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