What is Breast Cancer - Essay Example

What is Breast Cancer Breast cancer is a malignant disease of breast tissue which occurs due to the uncontrolled growth of abnormal breast cells. This is one of the most common cancers which occurs in women. Breast cancer mostly develops due to an abnormality in genes due to which the breast cells lose their ability to control the growth of cells, particularly abnormal cells in the breast. 90% of breast cancer occurrences are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of aging process and life in general. It is important to note that cancer has the potential to break through the normal breast tissue barriers and spread into other parts of the body. Incidence of Breast Cancer in the UK Breast cancer is one of the most commonly affecting cancers for women in the UK. One in every three women diagnosed with a cancer happens to have breast cancer. "Between 1940 and 1982, breast cancer cases increased at a steady rate of 1% per year. However, this increase rate jumped to 4% between 1982 and 1987." Incidence of breast cancer. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f00/web3/donimirski3.html "The incidence of cancers is usually written as a number of cancer cases per 100,000 people in the general population. For example in 2001, 40,786 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK. This works out to be 114 cases for every 100,000 women in the UK. The lifetime risk for breast cancer in women is one in nine." Incidence, survival and mortality. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asppage=154 The incidence of breast cancer increases with age and doubles every 10 years until the menopause when the rate of increase slows. Approximately a quarter of breast cancers affect women under the age of 50, a half occur between the ages of 50 and 69 and the remaining quarter develop in women who are 70 years or older. Women who start menstruating early in life or who have a late menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. Having no children and being older at the time of the first birth both increase the lifetime incidence of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer in women who have their first child after the age of 30 is about twice that of women having their first child before the age of 20. Prevalence of Breast Cancer "The following statistics relate to the prevalence of Breast Cancer: - 34,000 women in the UK (National Statistics - UK Government Census, 2001) - 31% of cancer cases in women are breast cancer in the UK 2001 (National Statistics - UK Government Census, 2001)" Prevalence and Incidence of Breast Cancer - WrongDiagnosis.com. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/b/breast_cancer/prevalence.htm Causal Factors of Breast Cancer The incidence of breast cancer increases with age and doubles every 10 years until the menopause when the rate of increase slows. Breast cancer incidents also differ largely between different geographical locations of the world. Breast cancer incidents rate is far lesser in the East as compared to Western countries. Early menstruation or late menopause also increase the risk of breast cancer in women. The age at the time of first pregnancy also greatly affects the chances of being infected with breast cancer. Late first pregnancies increase the chance of breast cancer. Exposure to radiation, for example too many chest X-rays, also greatly increases the chances of breast cancer. Some studies have shown a relation between consumption of alcohol and the incidents of breast cancer, but such relationship is not consistent and may be influenced by dietary factors other than alcohol. Recent Research on Breast Cancer "Cancer Research UK is the major supporter of breast cancer research in the UK, with an annual spending of over 20 million. Research has shown that it is mainly the DNA damage which may occur during a woman's lifetime which leads to breast cancer. Very rarely, a faulty and highly risky gene may have been inherited from the mother or father of the victim. Research has also shown that in some sporadic cases, a gene called EMSY gene turns off the BRCA2 gene, thus causing it to stop functioning and allowing cancer to develop. This work of researchers at the Cancer Research UK provides for new opportunities for identifying and treating breast cancer." Cancer Research UK - Our breast cancer research. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/ourcurrentresearch/researchbycancertype/breastresearch/ Improving the Treatment of Breast Cancer Researchers and scientists are after the source of the problem. They want to target the genes at source, the genes that are the root cause of this life-taking disease. New approaches of treatment are being developed, more and more research is being conducted on the development of new vaccines in order to harness the power of the immune system and to target and shut down a cancer's blood supply, thereby blocking the spread of cancer cells beyond the breast. Breast Screening - The Early Detection & Prevention of Breast Cancer If breast cancer is found at an early stage this improves the chances of recovery. For woman going through a screening process, an initial physical examination is conducted by the doctor. After the initial examination, further examination on the breasts can be conducted through Mammography, Ultrasound, or the Needle Tests. Mammography Breast X-rays are known as Mammograms, and the process is known s Mammography. It is used for early detection of cancer in women who have no symptoms and to detect and diagnose breast disease in women experiencing symptoms like nipple discharge, pain or a lump. Mammograms are a good way of identifying abnormalities in the breast. The Mammogram can detect small changes in breast tissue undetectable by the patient or even the doctor. Such changes in breast tissue may indicate breast cancer. Mammography can identify symptoms of breast cancers up to two years before the doctor or the patient can feel or note such symptoms. For those women who opt for annual mammography or chose to go through Mammography without waiting for any symptoms to arise, detection of early stage breast cancer is very important as the woman has more treatment options and cure is more likely. Detection of such early stage tumors is only possible through mammography. Although Mammograms are the best tool for early cancer detection today, yet they are unable to detect all breast cancers. Further, mammograms do not always identify clearly whether or not the lump or abnormality in the breast is harmful, and this sometimes leads to false declaration that the patient has cancer. Also, radiation of the X-rays are known to effect the patients to a little extent. Breast implants can also hinder a clear view of the breast tissues during mammography. "Computer-aided detection systems and digital mammography are some of the new technologies under study. Digital mammography, also called full-field digital mammography (FFDM), is a mammography system in which the x-ray film is replaced by solid-state detectors that convert x-rays into electrical signals. These detectors are similar to those found in digital cameras. The electrical signals are used to produce images of the breast that can be seen on a computer screen or printed on special film similar to conventional mammograms." Screening Techniques for Dense Breasts. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.breastcancer.org/research_screening_120003.html NHS Breast Screening Program The NHS Breast Screening Programme provides free breast screening every three years for all women in the UK aged 50 and over. Around one-and-a-half million women are screened in the UK each year. Women aged between 50 and 70 are now routinely invited. The NHS Breast Screening Programme is an effective part of the UK's efforts to reduce the death toll from breast cancer. In September 2000, the first research was published which demonstrated that the screening programme has lowered mortality rates from breast cancer in the 55-69 age group. It is estimated that the programme is on course to save 1,250 lives per year (25 per cent reduction in mortality) by the year 2010. The NHS Breast Screening Programme established the National Coordinating Centre for the Physics in Mammography at the beginning of 1991. One of the ways the centre has set about achieving its objectives has been to establish a national database on the mammography equipment used in the NHSBSP. Role of Nurses Nurses can play an important role in encouraging women to participate in the screening process. Most women often have questions and even misconceptions about screening guidelines, the benefits and risks of screening, and about how to interpret results. Nurses can promote screening by helping women to increase their knowledge of breast cancer and early detection and also to decrease their fears about screening and the threat of finding cancer. Nurses can teach women about measures to promote comfort and allow for optimal film clarity. Limiting compression due to discomfort can possibly restrict the quality of the film. Scheduling a mammogram 1 to 2 weeks following menstruation will help avoid discomfort due to breast swelling and pain. Instruct women not to wear deodorant or cosmetics near the breast, as these can produce images on the film, limiting quality. Women who perceive many barriers to screening are less likely to adhere to screening guidelines. Barriers can be related to a lack of resources, such as lack of transportation or insurance, or lack of knowledge about breast cancer and screenings. An important role for nurses is to help women overcome barriers by reducing or eliminating resource barriers and changing misconceptions about screening. Nurses can reinforce the importance of women discussing mammography with their health care provider. Nurses can also help women to be assertive when discussing mammography. Nurses can emphasize the ability of mammograms to detect breast cancer 1-2 years before a breast lump is palpable, and that 80% of women who develop breast cancer have no family history of the disease. Nurses can explain that over the past 20 years, technology has advanced substantially and today's mammogram uses much less radiation. Nurses can also explain that while some women experience discomfort, many women report no discomfort from the procedure. Remember! Early detection offers women the chance of finding breast cancer early when it is most treatable. And nurses can play an important role in promoting screening by teaching women about screening guidelines, the benefits and limitations of screening, and risk factors for breast cancer, and helping women to reduce or eliminate barriers to screening. References Breast Diagnostic Center - Glossary. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.breastdiagnostic.com/glossary.html Breast cancer. Retrieved 12th January 2006, from http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/breastcancer.htm Cancer Research UK - Our breast cancer research. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerandresearch/ourcurrentresearch/researchbycancertype/breastresearch/ How Breast Cancer Happens. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.breastcancer.org/cmn_und_idx.html Incidence of breast cancer. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f00/web3/donimirski3.html Incidence, survival and mortality. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asppage=154 NHS Breast Screening Programme (NHSBSP). Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/breastscreen/ Not Available. Retrieved 12th January 2006, from http://www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/breastscreen/publications/nhsbsp29.pdf Prevalence and Incidence of Breast Cancer - WrongDiagnosis.com. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/b/breast_cancer/prevalence.htm Screening Techniques for Dense Breasts. Retrieved 10th January 2006, from http://www.breastcancer.org/research_screening_120003.html Read More