Breast Cancer and Its Treatment - Speech or Presentation Example

? Breast Cancer Introduction Ladies and gentlemen! Breast cancer is a disease that may lead to death of a patient. This type of cancer begins in breast tissues and has two main types. The first type is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the ducts that carry milk to the nipples. This is the most common type of breast cancer. The second type of breast cancer is lobular carcinoma, which begins in the lobules, the milk-producing parts of the breast. Breast cancer can also originate from other areas of the breast, but this is rare. Breast cancer can either be noninvasive or invasive. Noninvasive implies that it has not attacked other breast tissues. When breast cancer is noninvasive, it is known as “in situ.” On the other hand, invasive breast cancer is one that has spread to other breast tissues. A number of breast cancers are receptive to estrogen hormone, which indicates that this hormone makes the growth of breast cancer tumor possible. Such kinds of cancers are known as estrogen receptor-positive cancers (ER-positive cancer). Some women suffer from HER2-positive breast cancer. HER2 is a gene that assists cells growth, division, and repair. The presence of too much of these genes in cancer cells makes them grow faster and they increase the chances of recurrence (Chen, 2012). Saunders and Jassal (2009) explain that breast cancer is one of the most occurring cancers affecting women and which is still continuing to increase in frequency. They add that it is a serious and potentially threatening condition. According to Nih.gov (2013), one out of eight women suffers from breast cancer at some point in their lives. In the US, it kills a greater number of women compared to any cancer apart from lung cancer. Although it is thought to be predominant in older women, it also takes place in women below the age of 30 years. It is important to note that most breast symptoms do not indicate that one has cancer. Men also suffer from breast cancer, but this is very rare (Saunders & Jassal, 2009). Symptoms and diagnosis In the early stages of breast cancer, there are usually no symptoms and this explains the reason as to why there is need for regular breast examinations. Breast cancer symptoms include discharge from a breast nipple, a change in breast shape or size or a lump in the breast. Advanced breast cancer may have such symptoms as weight loss, bone pain, swelling of the armpit, breast discomfort or pain, and skin ulcers. Mammography and breast self-exam can be used for early detection of breast cancer. Other tests that are used for the diagnosis and monitoring of breast cancer patients include breast ultrasound, which shows whether the lump is fluid-filled or solid, CT and PET scans, which check whether the cancer has spread, among others (Chen, 2012). Risk factors Although the cause of breast cancer is unknown, there are various risk factors including age, genes, and personal factors. To start with, older women are at a greater risk of getting breast cancer than younger women. Next, some genes increase the risk of breast cancer and it is advisable that women with family members with ovarian or breast cancer go for testing to rule out the possibility of breast cancer. As far as personal factors are concerned, women who begin their periods before the age of 12 years as well as those who reach menopause after the age of 55 years are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer. Other contributing factors include the use of birth control pills, alcoholism, the use of hormone replacement therapy, being overweight, having dense breasts, women who have their first child after the age of age 35 years, as well as those who do not have children (Nih.gov, 2013). Treatment Treatment for breast cancer is based on such factors as cancer type and stage, whether the cancer over-expresses/overproduces a gene known as HER2/neu, and the sensitivity of the cancer to certain hormones. Breast cancer treatment may comprise chemotherapy, radiation, mastectomy, lumpectomy, and hormone therapy (Nih.gov, 2013). The drugs aromatase inhibitors and tamoxifen present good examples of hormonal therapy. They block estrogen effects. These drugs have proved beneficial to women suffering from estrogen-sensitive breast cancer. In post-menopausal women suffering from breast cancer, drugs such as Aromasin (exemestane) are as good as or even better than tamoxifen. In targeted therapy, also known as biologic therapy, there is the use of special anti-cancer medicines that aim certain cell changes that can cause cancer. Herceptin (trastuzumab) is one example of such drugs and women with HER2-positive breast cancer may use it. Treatment for cancer can be systemic (affecting the whole body) or local (involving only the affected area). An example of systemic treatment is chemotherapy, while surgery and radiation are examples of local treatment. A combination of treatments is used on most women depending on the stage of the cancer. Some women go on taking drugs following treatment for some time. Even after treatment, it is advisable for one to go on having mammograms, blood tests, among other tests (Chen, 2012). It is important to note that once diagnosed of cancer, outcomes and treatments are usually not as severe as people imagine. Scientists have developed newer and more effective treatments that give women, especially with early breast cancers, an actual chance of cure. There has been a trend away from masectomy (breast removal) (Saunders & Jassal, 2009). Conclusion Apparently, breast cancer no longer poses a great threat as it used to previously. Fortunately, as Saunders and Jassal (2009) point out, following a great focus on this condition in both the general public and the scientific world, there have been great advances in its early detection and treatment. There have also been vigorous continuing research, dedicated breast clinics, breast screen programs, and modern treatments, which are all focused towards the improvement of the chances of successful treatment of breast cancer, and in some cases, avoiding it in the first place. Other improvements include the transformation in the role of epidemiology from simply looking for clues, etiology and mechanisms of disease to informing and triggering intervention. Among others, familial and genetic risk is used to determine surveillance and prophylactic measures; hormonal epidemiology has informed the development of hormonal chemoprevention, and epidemiological results suggest weight loss as a preventive measure in post-menopausal women. In a nutshell, there is a striking improvement in survival rate than ever before. It is advisable for one to perform self-examinations or go for breast check-ups in order to facilitate early detection in case of invasion. References Chen, Y. (2012). Breast cancer. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001911/ Nih.gov. (2013). Breast cancer. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastcancer.html Saunders, C. & Jassal, S. (2009). Breast cancer. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Read More