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Breast Cancer Research Paper

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Breast Cancer
Health Science 1

Monday & Wednesday 2:30-3:55
12/1/2014
Alondra Placito
April Pilon
Jamie Burnett
Nicole Boden

According to breastcancer.org, breast cancer is the uncontrolled growth of breast cells and also referred to as a malignant tumor. A malignant tumor has the potential to be dangerous and can eventually spread beyond the original tumor to other parts of the body. Breast cancer usually originates in the cells of the lobules, which are milk producing glands, or they can also begin in the ducts, which are openings that drain milk from lobules to the nipple (breastcancer.org). After time, the cancer cells attack neighboring healthy breast tissue and make way into …show more content…

According to nationalbreastcancer.org, identifying any symptoms involve three things. They include: a change in how the breast or nipple feels, change in appearance in the breast or nipple and any nipple discharge. Usually the nipple feels tender or one may feel a lump in or on the breast or underarm area. There may also be a change in the skin texture or enlargement of pores in the skin of the breast or a lump in the breast. When trying to identify symptoms for the appearance it is always best to ask and be safe that it is not cancerous. The appearance changes include: unexplained change in shape or size of the breast, unexplained swelling in the breast, unexplained shrinkage in the breast, dimpling anywhere in the breast, or a nipple that is turned slightly inward or inverted (nationalbreastcancer.org). As for the discharge, it is very important to note that a milky discharge present when a woman is not breastfeeding should be checked out by a doctor, but it is not linked to breast cancer …show more content…

These methods include: a breast exam, mammogram, breast ultrasound, biopsy, and MRI. On the website, mayoclinic.org, there was a brief explanation about each of these methods. For breast exams the doctor usually checks both breast and the lymph nodes in the armpits or other abnormalities. An x-ray is used for mammograms in order to screen cancer. Now for the breast ultrasound, they use sound waves to make images and can help distinguish between a solid mass or fluid filled cyst. A magnet and radio waves are used to create images of one’s breast, along with an injection of dye, for an MRI. A biopsy actually can help influence treatment options that one receives. It is a laboratory analysis that helps determine if the cell is very cancerous (mayoclinic.org). Treatments for breast cancer also vary person to person and depend on the stage that the person is in. They can have breast cancer surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted drugs. Surgery involves removing the cancer or it can be as much as removing both breasts. Radiation therapy uses high beams of energy, like x-rays, in order to kill the cancer cells and chemotherapy uses drugs in order to kill the cancer cells. Hormone therapy is often used to treat breast cancers that are sensitive to hormones and the targeted drugs are used to attack specific abnormalities

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