The Cause And Effect Of A Disease Known As Breast Cancer

Thesis

This research paper highlights the cause and effect of a disease known as breast cancer. It aims to discuss the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease.

Diagnosis

Breast cancer is a disorder of brain cells that may lead to uncontrollable shaking of your body parts. Since, researchers haven’t established any absolute hereditary or ecological reasons, and no cellular flaw has been associated to this ailment. Genitival factors play a crucial role in causing breast cancer in half of all people who have been diagnosed with this ailment.

Being breast-aware is as simple as taking care of your attire. To stay healthy, we simply need to pay more attention to our breasts. The aim of this assignment is to configure a number of techniques and everyday tasks to check for breast cancer to enable one to prevent the disease in its entirety or to catch it in its early stages when it’s curable.

Research has shown that “breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that affect women in Hong Kong. It is the third leading cause of cancer death among women after lung and colorectal cancer.” In the past two decades, the incidence of breast cancer has shown an upward Trend. In each year of the past ten years, there were over 2000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed and 400-500 women succumbed to the disease.

There is a need to spread awareness among each woman that the danger of having breast cancer increases with age. Another factor of family account of breast cancer is another risk factor that should always be kept in mind. The larger amount of blood relatives with breast cancer the woman has, particularly if the affected relatives are her close family members, for instance, her mother or sister, the greater the risk for the woman to eventually develop breast cancer.

A child born to a parent with breast cancer will be at 50% risk of inheriting the responsible gene but may never actually experience symptoms. Even though breast cancer occurs more often among old women — and symptoms enhance as age increases — it is not a fragment of the usual ageing course. So, the exact cause of breast cancer remains to be unidentified. However, with recent research work, it may be inferred that breast cancer may be activated by variations in specific parts of the breast.

Moreover, the women’s risks improve and increase further if their affected relatives develop breast cancer at a young age. Some familial breast cancers are caused by inheriting specific gene mutations. These gene alterations increase the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer. However, in Western countries, only a small number of breast cancer cases are due to gene mutations. But, in Hong Kong, genetic testing for breast cancer risk is not yet common.

In addition to kinfolk account of breast cancer, other threat aspects for breast cancer include previous history of breast cancer, ovarian malignancy or endometrial cancer. Various other factors that most of the people are unaware of include

• Having spot administration at an early age (before age 12)
• Late Menopause (i.e. after age 55)
• Having no children is having the first right after the age of 30.
• History of radiation therapy to the chest area before the age of 30.

Besides, taking birth control pills or hormone replacement theory can also increase the risk of breast cancer, but the risk decreases gradually after stopping. Breast cancer risk may also be increased due to Lifestyle factors such as obesity, alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity and not breastfeeding.

Currently, mammogram examination is a commonly used method to screen for breast cancer. This screening test uses low-dose X-rays to look for early asymptomatic breast cancers with the view that early diagnosis and effective treatment will prevent the progression of the disease and, thereby, deaths by breast cancer.

During the mammogram examination, a radiographer takes images of the breasts from two different angles by fixing the breasts between two plates. Evidence has shown that in some Western countries where there is an organized breast cancer screening program, the mortality rate from breast cancer has stopped; however, in Hong Kong, currently, there is insufficient evidence for or against screening as a solution for breast cancer curing or preventive mechanism in the general female population. Women who have increased risks of developing breast cancer should consult doctors to discuss whether they need to undergo screening.

Evidence from research has also shown that mammogram examinations are never cent per cent precise in the discovery of breast cancer. Hence, it is essential that women belonging to all age groups should always be breast-aware. According to research from the Mayo Clinic, “Breast awareness means being aware of how your breasts normally look and feel when you are bathing, getting dressed or lying down and how the breast changes according to the time of your menstrual cycle.” If one is breast aware, it can assist each individual in noticing uncommon fluctuations initially so that the patient can get medical treatment swiftly.

Women of childbearing age may notice that their breasts feel different during a menstruation cycle. Just before the menstruation period, the breasts may feel a bit swollen, tender and lumpy. These are normal physiological changes which disappear after menstruation. Abnormal breast changes refer to a persistent and unusual condition of the breast, which includes

• “Changes In The Breast Size, Shape Or Appearance,
• Lumps Or Swelling Of All Or Part Of A Breast Or Underarm,
• Persistent Breast Or Underarm Pain,
• Dimpling Or Puckering Of The Skin Over The Breast,
• Or Breast Nipple Retraction (That Is The Nipple Turns Inwards)
• Bleeding Or Discharge From The Nipple Or Swelling Of The Nipple”

Certain factors can aggravate tremors, all of which are mentioned above, including heavy breasts and using combination hormone therapy. Breast cancer is diagnosed by doctors by noting the tremors and by exclusion of other sources. Firstly, a doctor conducts a physical test to assess the intensity of your tremors. Then, they might also implement various imaging tests, like CT and MRI scans, just to ensure whether you have an underlying illness that’s triggering your cancer.

Although breast pain is regarded as one of the symptoms of breast cancer, the pain can originate from a number of different sources as well, such as cyclical premenstrual swelling, wearing an ill-fitting bra, breast infection or inflammation, fibrocystic conditions and injury or inflammation to the chest, bone and cartilage etc. Therefore, if you have unexplained breast pain, particularly if it’s persistent, you should seek medical advice immediately or as soon as possible.

Even though nipple discharge is thought to be responsible for breast melanoma, it doesn’t essentially assert that the woman is a victim of cancer already. “Pregnancy, breastfeeding, intraductal papillomas, mammary duct ectasia, hormonal drugs, etc.” can all be the hidden factors at play behind nipple discharges.

Prognosis

There’s no cure for breast cancer since there is no known single sure cause for the disease yet, but the progression of symptoms is slow but sure. Some treatments that may contribute to relieving the symptoms include interventions, medications, therapies and surgery. Breast cancer can be prevented by avoiding such controllable factors which aggravate the situation. Furthermore, some medications may prevent breast cancer from getting worse. One may also engage in physical therapy to enhance muscle coordination and control. Surgery is a last resort when other treatments are unsuccessful. Surgical options in this case are “Breast-conserving surgery (also called a lumpectomy, quadrantectomy, partial mastectomy, or segmental mastectomy)”. The sternness of breast tumours may stay moderately similar or may worsen with time. The cancer might take other areas of your body hostage, too.

Conclusion

In the short run, the disease can be treated but can’t be cured except by surgically removing the organ itself. The patient can make some adjustments in their lifestyles to prevent the disease from attacking them in the first place and pay special attention to the guidelines given above. In the long run, the disease has been known to take more victims with age. However, it may or may not be transferred through genes. Since the connotations are still being examined, it can’t be declared as hereditary or not. But the chances do rise of transferring it in generations. Research shows that people with breast malignancy are greatly inclined to contribute this disease to their future generations as well.