Technology Of The Treatment Of Breast Cancer example essay topic

Advanced Technology of the Treatment of Breast Cancer This year 203,000 women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and 40,000 of them are expected to die. Breast Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women the ages of 35-54. There are numerous ways breast cancer can be treated if found early. The key to treating breast cancer is early detection, beast self-exams, and early mammograms. One out of every eight women will get diagnosed with Breast Cancer this year; therefore, new advanced technology of the treatment of Breast Cancer is the key to life after the disease.

There is a lot of information that has to be known about breast cancer in order to do something about the disease such as what breast cancer is, the history and some risk factors. Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) tumor that starts from cells of the breast. Breast cancer is found mostly in women, but men can get breast cancer. Being a women and getting older, put women at higher risk of getting diagnosed with breast cancer. As women get older their risk continues.

Many factors that contribute to the risk of breast cancer, such as the history of breast cancer in your family, or close relatives. "Researchers are investigating genes that may be related to breast cancer, and they are examining whether smoking or estrogen levels influence that incidence of the disease" (N. W hospital 1). However, some women who have one or more risk factors may not get diagnosed with breast cancer, but most women who don't have any risk factors get diagnosed with the disease. Today there are many risks that go along with Breast Cancer, some can not be changed but some can be stopped. One risk factor that cannot be changed is gender, women are at higher risk for breast cancer then men are. Age is also a factor that cannot be controlled, because the chance of breast cancer goes up, as women get older.

Furthermore genetic risk factors cannot be changed. "About one case of breast cancer in ten is linked to changes (mutation) in certain genes" (Illinois Department 4). Early detection is the key to life after Breast Cancer. Effects that help to early detection goes as the fallowing; Yearly mammograms, Clinical Examinations, and checking yourself monthly.

"Mammograms are a specific type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system and high-contrast, high-resolution file for examination of breasts" (RSNA). Mammograms play a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them. Another way for early detection is Clinical Examination. Women should have their breast checked by a health professional once each year. Some lumps found, aren't always cancer. However, any lumps found need to be checked by a professional as soon as it is found.

Checking yourself monthly is a trait that every women should have. Starting at age 2- all women should check their breast each month. Looking for lumps or thickening in the breast, or any change in the texture of skin, and nay changes in breast sizes "The technology of the treatment of breast cancer had come a long way in the past ten years. Ever since the mammograms which are special breast X-ray that can detect 90 percent of cancers, even before the lump can be felt. Mammograms are very important be aren't perfect, they still have ten percent chance of missing some sort of detection. The breast is exposed to a small dose of radiation to produce an image of internal breast tissue.

The image of the breast is produced as a result of some of the x-rays being absorbed (attenuation) while others pass through the breast to expose the film. The exposed film is either placed in a developing machine, producing images much like the negatives from a 35-mm camera, or images are digitally stored on a computer" (RSNA). Another advanced system in treating breast cancer is needle biopsy. A needle biopsy removes a smaller number of cells or pieces of tissue from a lump for testing.

When the lump only shoes on the mammograms, a stereo tactic needle biopsy can be done of the area. There are many different kinds of needle biopsies; Fine needle aspirations, a thin, hallow needle is used to remove a few cells from the breast lump. It can be done as an outpatient, and it only takes a few minutes. Core needle biopsy, thicker, hallow needle removes a larger amount of tissue. "As with fine needle biopsy, when a core needle biopsy is done for an abnormal area found by a mammogram, ultrasound imaging or stereo tactic mammography is needed to accurately guide the needle to the suspicious area" (Breast Cancer Info). The skin I nicked with a scalpel so the needle can enter.

This procedure is done as an outpatient. Vacuum assisted biopsy; A thicker, hollow needle removes cores of tissue by a single insertion of a vacuum probe. Vacuum assisted breast biopsy is done under a local anesthetic and can also be done as an outpatient. Vacuum needle biopsy may be done with the guidance of stereo tactic mammography or ultrasound imaging. Surgical Biopsy is another form of technology that is performed many times. It can as well be done as an out patient, no other treatment is scheduled as this time, there could be several days before you know if you have cancer or not.

An open surgical biopsy is a surgical procedure that removes the abnormality from the breast. It is done in a hospital or outpatient setting with anesthetic. Most women are able to go home the same day. There are two main surgical biopsy types. Incision, only a portion of the lump is removed. It is done on women with advanced stage cancer whose tumors are too large to remove by excision al biopsy.

The other main type of Excision al; the entire lump plus some surrounding normal tissue is removed. "This is the most common type of open biopsy and the most accurate way to diagnosed breast cancer" (Breast Cancer Info). Although the primary purpose is to diagnose cancer, a biopsy can also be surgical treatment to remove cancer. There are many different types of surgery. One being Partial mastectomy, this surgery removes the lump and some normal tissue around it. Some of the skin lining the chest muscle and below the tumor also is removed.

"Some of all of the underarm lymph nodes may be removed to see if the cancer has spread" (IDPH 6). There are some advantages and disadvantages to this procedure. Advantages are the best is left, and there is little possibility that there is a lost of muscle strength. Some disadvantages are; small-breasted women with large lumps may see a change in their breast shape. Scar tissue may make future breast exams and mammograms harder to do. Also there may be some swelling in the arm of the lymph nodes are removed.

With this surgery there may be some daily radiation treatments. Total, or simple, mastectomy is another form of surgery to rid the body of breast cancer. The breast will be removed, alone with some underarm lymph nodes. This is done to see if there is any cancer that has spread beyond the breast. With this surgery there are some advantages and some disadvantages. Advantages are chest muscles are not removed and are strength is not lost.

Most of all underarm lymph nodes are not removed, so therefore there will be no arm swelling. And breast reconstruction is easier. "Disadvantages are the entire breast is removed, and if the cancer is spread to underarm lymph nodes, it may not be found" (IDPH 7). After these surgeries are completed, some radiation treatment may have to take place.

Radiation treatment is used to attack the cancer cells. Doctors often use radiation therapy for women in the early stage of breast cancer, along with other treatment procedures, to be sure that any caner cells that may have been overlooked during surgery, are destroyed. Again there are some advantaged and disadvantages of radiation treatment. The breast may be saved, after this the breast usually looks as if did before the treatment. The breast will more than likely become firmer, and after the treatment the skin of the breast will look the same as it did before. Disadvantages include the necessary daily outpatient visits for six weeks.

After this treatment it is a possibility that a temporary reaction, almost like sunburn, will occur and then dissipate after roughly three weeks. Treatment may cause some temporary difficulty in the ability to swallow. "Possible scarring in the lung may occur but usually causes no physical problems" (IDPH 8). Another form of battling breast cancer is the usage of drugs along with surgery as a treatment. Ones doctor will choose the right treatment option that best fits the cancer the individual is suffering. Chemotherapy is the most common form of drug treatment.

"Chemotherapy uses different kinds of drugs that can kill cancer cells" (NW Hospital). Chemotherapy can also kill cancer that has spread throughout the body as well. Again there are some advantages and disadvantages. When the surgery is over the person will be as a smaller risk of the cancer returning. Disadvantages include disruption of the menstrual cycle in women. Learning that one is infected with breast caner is traumatizing and can cause depression.

Women who are diagnosed must remember and understand that they are not alone in the struggle with their disease. Many women today aren't aware of what breast cancer really is and how it works. Hopefully after this paper women will become more aware of this cancer and want to be more involved. Breast cancer works in mysterious ways, from finding out you have breast cancer, and the people who are at risk, to early detection and then later the advanced technologies of the treatment to the disease.

Breast cancer is a very serious disease but if there is early detection, there can and will be life after Breast Cancer.