Breast Cancer Essay

Breast Cancer is a type of cancer where in the breast cells growth are uncontrolled. To enhance our understanding of breast cancer, knowing how any cancer can develop is crucial. Cancer develops as a result of the alteration of the genes, or abnormal changes in the genes accountable for managing the growth of the cells and maintaining their health. In each nucleus, the genes operates as the “control room.” The cells in our bodies replace themselves through a process called cell growth in which the

This type of breast cancer begins in the milk ducts of the breast. At first, there are normal cells, but then a mutation occurs. Some kind of carcinogen damages and changes a couple of genes. The mutated genes associated with breast cancer are Genes BrCA1 and BrCA2. The

There are two important type of genes responsible for the development or cancer namely tumor suppressor because their normal function is

Breast cancer constitutes the second most prevalent cancer most common among women of the world with an estimated 1.62 million reported cases in 2012 which constitutes 25% of all cancer cases and ranks fifth among mortality due to cancer (Ferlay et al., 2015). In the United States, according to American Cancer Society an

The process of unraveling the mysteries of the human genome creates enormous possibilities in the world of science. Knowing where on our chromosomes a specific gene lies allows scientists to look inside the human body with more intensity than any X-ray could ever achieve. By analyzing the genetic make-up of human beings, scientists can track diseases back to their most fundamental stages. In recent years, scientists have discovered two genes that play a role in the development of various kinds of cancer in both men and women. With the additional ability to test individuals for their possession of deformed copies of these genes, many ethical questions have been raised. Although the

Breast cancer is an uncontrollable division of cells within the breast tissue that affects about 12% of women in their lifetime. Cancer can be caused by sporadic mutations influenced by environment or by genetic disposition. Several genes play a role in cell division: Oncogenes are responsible for directing mitosis, and tumor suppression genes prevent the expression of genes involved in cell division. Mutations that occur in either gene can lead to carcinogenic tumor growth and immortal cell lines.

An example of this are the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. This genes are relate to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Based on the results from a 2007 study, BRCA1 is more than dangerous that BRCA2 because more patients were diagnose and more patients died. The risk of a women dying of cancer if she carries a mutated BRCA 1 gene is very high. There's an 18% chance that a women carrying this gene will die if diagnosed with cancer. Based on the chart 16 out 89 patients died.

Such findings, all of which relate to hormone-based life events, suggest that breast cancer is somehow affected by prolonged exposure to female sex hormones, such as estrogen. Women with a history of breast cancer in the family are also at greater risk. About five percent of all breast cancers have been attributed to a mutated, or structurally altered, gene known as BRCA1. Mutations in a second gene, BRCA2, contribute significantly to the development of breast cancer in Jewish women. Alcohol, high levels of fat in the diet, and not exercising regularly have also been linked to increased risk for breast cancer (Garber).

In the United States, starting from the first breast cancer case in 1930s to today, a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer increases to one eighth (Gray et al.). Continuously increasing breast cancer rate has caused a lot of concerns among not only ordinary people but also scientists. For decades, scientists have been working on the causes of breast cancer in order to find the corresponding methods of treatment. However, only about 25% of the breast cancer cases got explained (Brody et al.); till today, heredity, lifetime exposure to environmental estrogen (the female sex hormone), and the dietary fat are the only major known causes (“Cover Story: Breast Cancer and Environment”). For the 75% unexplained breast cancers cases,

The second issue presented is ‘biological’. This is based on the premise that there are ‘strong’ mutations and ‘weak’ mutations associated with differing degrees of risks and maybe different cancers. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation may not test positive the initial genetic screening due to level of significance.2 Also, in 1995, Ponder strongly suspected that breast cancer may have 4 or more genetic indicators in addition to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.12 In other words, If BRAC1 and 2 test did not test positive, then another defective gene may be responsible for breast cancer for the development of cancer2. Further investigation reported by the Journal of Nature Genetics in Figure 1, concluded that “familial breast cancer (left) constitutes only 5-10% of total breast cancer (right). The genes known to be involved in familial breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2) account for only 20% of familial

DNA makeup our gene in each cell which control our functions. Gene which increases cell division are called oncogene,others which slow down cell division, or cell die at right time are called tumor suppressor gene.Certain changes or mutation in DNA turn on oncogene or turn off tumor suppressor gene to cause normal breast cell to become cancerous.the stem cell mutation are the actual root of cancer which causes cancer again and again we use different strategies to diagnose the presence of these kind of mutation including different scans including CT scan,ultrasonography,FED.

Today, breast cancer can no longer be seen as one disease but rather a group of diseases. Histological appearance is not the only criteria to classify breast cancer. Biologists and doctors nowadays look at the expression of receptors and gene that promote the growth of cancerous cells to define

One gene that cause an increased risk for cancer is the p53 gene. This gene functions by controlling the cell cycle. It causes and increased risk for cancer by being mutated to many times and is usually the cause of over 50% of all human cancers. Another cell that causes an increased risk for cancer is the BRCA1 gene. This gene functions to stop tumor formations and growths. If the gene has a mutation then a tumor will begin. This is one of the genes that will cause breast cancer. The two types of tumors are benign and malignant. Benign tumors remain at the original site of formation and can be removed by surgery or radiation. Malignant tumors send out a signal to start a blood vessel line at the tumor to spread the cancerous cells around the

Cells that divide are at the higher risk of acquiring mutations than cells that don’t divide. Cancer is more common in tissues, which cells divide frequently such as with breast, skin, color and uterine tissues. At puberty, in response to hormones (like estrogen that is secreted by the ovaries) the breast ducts grow rapidly into a tree-like structure composed of many ducts. The immature breast cells, are called “stem cells”, divide rapidly during puberty (Dairkee, 1996). After a woman’s first full-term pregnancy, hormonal influences transform a high proportion of her breast cells into mature cells, which produce milk. Medical findings predict that higher risk include high breast tissue

Like all cancers, breast cancer develops because of defects in the DNA of a single cell. Cancers arise when there is an accumulation of genetic mutations within genes that control cell growth and division or the repair of damaged DNA. This causes damage allowing cells to grow and divide uncontrollably forming a tumour. These mutations are called somatic mutations and are not inherited (GHR, 2007) In addition to these genetic changes researchers have identified many other factors that increase the risk of developing of breast cancer, these were previously mentioned.