Breast Cancer Essay -- essays research papers

In the United States in 1999 alone, an estimated 43,700 people will die from breast cancer. It is the number two cancer killer among females ages 15 to 54. On average if a woman gets this disease, their life expectancy drops drastically. This cancer is within the top three cancers of all women above the age of 15, and comprises a great amount of all health care costs in the U.S. totaling an astounding 37 billion dollars a year in direct medical costs. An average woman is said to have a one in nine chance of getting the cancer, but if that person had family history of the disease, his or her chances have been measured up to a one in six chance. Sixty-nine percent of African-American women survive from it, and there are predicted to be nearly two million new cases reported this year in the U.S. (Breast Cancer Key Statistics). Breast cancer is a group of rapidly reproducing, undifferentiated cells in the area of the breast in men and women. The earliest changes occur in the epithelial cells of the terminal end buds (TEB) of the breast milk ductal system. While the progressive steps of breast cancer are unknown, the cells in the breast trigger a reaction of cell reproduction. These new cancer cells form tumors. If cancer cells are active or are considered malign, the tumor grows at tremendous speeds, and may end up in metastasis. Metastasis is a complex process in which cells break away from their primary tumors, and via the blood supply or through the lymph system relocate into other organs, thus spreading cancer throughout the body. Generally, if a lump is smaller than one centimeter, it is considered benign, although every woman should consult her doctor about any unusual bumps or feeling in the chest. One sign of breast cancer results from ductal cancer in the breast. A once hollow open tube could be completely clogged up with cancerous cells leaving an awkward feeling in the chest area. Other complications that result from this cancer and others are the clogg ing and cramming of the system (American Cancer Society, 1999: 10). Recently genes have been named as a great cause of cancer. It now is thought in the medical community that while there are definite environmental contributors to cancer, even those people who are exposed to few carcinogens may suffer from disease that runs in their families. Among the genes that are being heavily researched is the gene... ...99. "Case Studies." http://www.cancergenetics.org/bc.htm. April 12, 1999. "Detection." http://www3.cancer.org/cancerinfo/main_cont.asp?st=ds&ct=5#early. September 20, 1999. "Exercise Reduces Breast Cancer." http://www.oncolink.com/cancer_news/1994/exercise_bc.html. August 26, 1999. Fitzgerald et al. The New England Journal of Medicine. Vol. 334, No. 3. January 18, 1996. "Guidelines for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer." The American Breast Cancer Guide (1999): 6. "Newly Synthesized Compound Can Inhibit Development of Precancerous Cells." http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~ffh/vitamind.htm. "Perceptions of Breast Cancer Risk and Screening Effectiveness in Women Younger Than 50 Years of Age." http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/jnci/issue10/87-720.html. "Risk Factors for Breast Cancer." http://www3.cancer.org/cancerinfo/main_cont.asp?st=pr&ct=5#risk. September 20, 1999. "Tamoxifen." http://www.infomed.org/100drugs/tamofram.html. 1996. "Treatment. http://www3.cancer.org/cancerinfo/main_cont.asp?st=tr&ct=5. September 20, 1999. "Types of Breast Cancer", " Breast Cancer Stages." Breast Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Patients, Version II (June 1999): 7, 10.