Cancers are diseases that affect cells of various parts of the body causing them to grow uncontrollably (American Cancer Society, 2016) . The result is usually formation of tumors in the specific organ that is affected. Consequently, from the origin of the cancer, the name is given, where if the origin is the breast; the type of cancer is referred to as breast cancer. Breast Cancer is one of the most prevalent types of cancers in the entire world. Due to its high mortality rates, over forty thousand women succumb to breast cancer every year in the United States alone. In fact, breast cancer is ranked as the second highest cause of cancer deaths among women, superseded by lung cancer.
Currently, no direct cause of breast cancer has been established but the risk factors have been clearly established and they majorly include; advanced age, poor nutrition habits, hormonal factors and family history of breast cancer. Family history has been associated with increased risk of developing breast cancer due to specific genetic makeup that predisposes a woman to the condition. In fact, presence of BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 genes in a woman’s genetic makeup puts her at a threefold risk of developing the condition compared to those without the gene (Cancer Research UK, 2016) . Similarly, the chances of developing breast cancer increases with previous incidences of the disease in a family. On the contrary, hormonal factors come into play where researchers have established an association between breast cancer and high levels of estrogen in a woman’s body. The explanation is that estrogen causes rapid cell division that in turn increases chances of mutations and consequent development of cancer (National Cancer Institute, 2016) . Similarly, age is associated with breast cancer since women of post-menopausal age tend to seek for estrogen therapy which increases the risk for developing breast cancer. On the part of nutrition, breast cancer has been shown to correlate strongly with consumption of high fat meals and regular drinking of alcohol exceeding a single drink in a day. However, these risk factors are not always in play since cases of breast cancer have been reported among individuals with none of the said risk factors.
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In prevention against breast cancer, various approaches in dealing with the established risk factors come into play. These include; proper nutrition habits, change of lifestyle to more physical activity and less alcohol consumption, refraining from estrogen therapy and avoiding any form of exposure to radiation waves such as x-rays (National Cancer Institute, 2016). Moreover, regular checkups can greatly help in early detection of the disease which increases the chances of complete treatment and cure. Notably, treatment is usually dependent on the presentation of the tumors. The first option is usually surgery to remove the tumor or the entire breast (mastectomy) followed by radiotherapy and eventually chemotherapy to rid the body of possible remaining cancer cells. It is worth noting that trial treatment studies are being carried out to determine the feasibility of dietary supplements in treatment of cancer such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins B12 and B6 ( American Cancer Society, 2016). Other trial treatment studies on course include; hormone therapy, vitamin-A related drugs such as Fenretinide and drugs used for other treatments such as bisphosphonates used in treatment of osteoporosis. All these researches are aimed at coming up with feasible treatments of breast cancer.
In conclusion, Breast Cancer is uncontrolled growth of cells of the breast tissue resulting in formation of masses of cells medically referred to as tumors. Notably, the tumor originates in the lobules and ducts in the breast tissue where abnormal cell growth takes place. As discussed above, various risk factors have been established in relation to breast cancer. However, the existing treatment plans are being improved through trial treatment studies that will see the disease become curable.
References;
American Cancer Society. (2016). Retrieved on December 22, 2016 from; www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute. (2016). Retrieved on December 22, 2016 from; https://www.cancer.gov/
Cancer Research UK. (2016). Retrieved on December 22, 2016 from; http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/
