Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer - Research Paper Example

Breast CancerIntroductionBreast cancer is a slowpoke murder of a female organism. It is growing in a breast tissue and penetrates into milk ducts. Breast cancer may be of different forms, stages, and intensiveness. The disease may be cured in case in-time and appropriate treatment such as surgery, radiation, or both; hormonal and chemotherapies are applied. SymptomsThe symptoms are following: in the majority of cases a lump in a breast tissue or such symptoms as a small depression of the breast skin, change in breast shape; inverted state of nipples etc (Ogden, 2004, p. 35). It is important for every woman to visit a gynecologist and pay attention to breast cancer symptoms.

Unfortunately many women ignore such symptoms and postpone the visit putting their life under serious threat. Breast cancer is a metastatic disease that can spread all over the organism and affect different organs and this usually happens on the last stage when it is already impossible to save a life. Early examination may reveal the disease on the first stage that will allow to cure cancer.Different forms of breast cancer cause different symptoms. For example, cancer invasion in small lymph vessels irritate skin and is a symptom of inflammatory breast cancer.

This kind of cancer causes pain, itching of the breast. Paget's breast cancer causes disease of the breast eczematoid skin changes, such as skin irritation and mild peeling of the nipple skin (Kemeny, 1992, p. 67). Breast cancer is a metastatic disease that can spread all over the organism and affect different organs, thus it is considered to be incurable. It is not possible to stop the process. Metastatic spread of lumps can lead to weight loss, neurotic disorders, fever and other diseases (Kemeny, 1992, p. 13). As far as it is seen, breast cancer’s symptoms are different and destroy female organism step by step.

Probably, this disease was named ‘cancer’ not in vain. Cancer opens its hostile feelers and entraps every victim. The global character of breast cancer is an intimidating tendency of modern society (Kemeny, 1992, p. 130). Female health needs care and professional doctor’s advice. Therefore on-time diagnostic can be salvational on the initial stages of the disease. DiagnosisDiagnostic methods are following: breast palpation by a professional doctor, mammography, and aspiration cytology (Finkel, 2005, p. 34). A combination of these three diagnostic methods results in an accurate verification of breast cancer existence in every particular case.

Aspiration cytology is similar to biopsy. In case of aspiration cytology a fluid inside a lump is checked for cancer cells; in case of biopsy a piece of a lump or the whole lump is removed from the breast. TreatmentTreatment of breast surgery is following: surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or combination of all these methods (Ogden, 2004, p. 54). Breast cancer is sometimes treated first with surgery, and then with chemotherapy, radiation, or both. Treatment is chosen in accordance with intensity of progress of the disease.

On the first stage cancer is treated with lumpectomy with chemotherapy or without it. On the second and third stage cancer is treated with surgery (either lumpectomy or mastectomy) with radiation. On the fourth stage, when cancer turns into metastatic cancer, treatment is combined but it can prolong the life of a cancer victim for 6 months maximum (Kaelin, 2005, p. 107). Metastatic cancer is incurable.ConclusionCancer represents serious threat, it opens its hostile feelers and entraps every victim.

It goes without saying that female health needs care and professional doctor’s advice. It is important not to forget that breast cancer is a disease, which can be cured if it is diagnosed on time and efficient treatment is professionally chosen (Ogden, 2004, p. 54).. Women over 35 years old should visit a doctor regularly in order to reveal problems on time and get a chance to survive. Breast cancer may be of different forms, stages, and intensiveness and sometimes it can be cured. In spite of possible curing chances, breast cancer is an intimidating fatal disease, which takes away millions of women every year.

Works cited1. Finkel, M. N. Understanding the Mammography Controversy: Science, Politics, and Breast Cancer Screening. Praeger, 2005.2. Kaelin, C. M. Living through Breast Cancer: What a Harvard Doctor and Survivor Wants You to Know about Getting the Best Care While Preserving Your Self-Image. McGraw-Hill, 2005.3. Kemeny, M. Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer: Beating the Odds. Addison-Wesley, 1992.4. McCarthy, P. Breast Cancer? Let Me Check My Schedule. Westview Press, 19975. Ogden, J. Understanding Breast Cancer.

Wiley, 2004.