Causes And Risk Of Breast Cancer

Another factor that contributes to the development of breast cancer is actually the hormone estrogen. This seems unusual because estrogen is a hormone that is essential to the bodies of women in various ways. Estrogen is necessary for normal growth and development of breasts and reproductive organs, as well as for the maintenance of a healthy heart and bones. However, lifetime estrogen exposure may increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. It does not actually produce the mutation in the DNA, nevertheless Estrogen stimulates the proliferation of breast cells that already contain a mutation. These mutated cells will continue to reproduce and have an increased chance of becoming cancerous.

Breast cancer (BRCA) is associated with the highest mortality rate of any type of cancer besides that of the lung (American Cancer Society, 2013). BRCA occurs most commonly in women over the age of 40, with an estimated global incidence of 1.6 million cases in 2010. An estimated 39,000 women died from BRCA alone in 2013 (American Cancer Society, 2013). BRCA is responsible for the largest portion of spending on cancer-related care in the United States; an estimated $16.5 billion of cancer-related spending went towards BRCA in 2010 (Mariotto, Robin Yabroff, Shao, Feuer, & Brown, 2011). Although the prevalence, mortality, and costs associated with BRCA are quite high, recent advances in screening and treatment have increased long term

BRCA1 and BRCA2 share a lot of similarities. BRCA2 is also a cause for hereditary breast cancer and is also responsible for tumor suppressor proteins. BRCA2 is located on chromosome thirteen. BRCA2 can repair breaks within DNA, such as DSBs and can regulate cytokinesis. Cytokinesis is a process during cell division where the cytoplasm, the fluid inside the cells that is enclosed by the cell membrane, of one parent cells splits into two daughter cells. BRCA2 mutations are more commonly found in people of Jewish and French-Canadian backgrounds.

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).

BRCA1 is a gene that produces tumor suppression proteins which play critical roles in DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint control, and maintenance of genomic stability. Inherited mutated BRCA1 causes DNA damage to not be repaired properly and these cells can then form genetic alterations leading to female breast cancer (Easton 1999). Breast cancer is a disease where malignant cancer cells form in the tissue of the breast and invade surrounding tissues and spread.

Breast Cancer is the most common form of cancer found in women in the United states and is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. Although it is more common in women, men can also develop breast cancer as it forms through cells in the breast. As stated by the cancer center of America “The milk-producing ducts and glands are the two most likely areas to develop cancerous cells.” This is why it is most common in females, as males lack the ducts and glands that women have making them more vulnerable to develop cancerous cells.

I believe this scenario is slightly simplistic, as I am not aware that the BRCA1 gene mutation only has implications for developing breast and/or ovarian cancer, and has no other synergistic effect on other disease causation. We can have many genetic factors which may predispose us to a particular disease, but

The inheritance arrangement of BRCA1 and BRCA2 is an autosomal dominant pattern, which defines that each offspring with one parent carrying mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene would have 50% possibility of inheriting the germline mutation (University of Utah, “n.d”). Children who genetically obtained these genes would have increased in cancer development. Female carriers have a higher chance of transferring the genes to the next generation since the female is more susceptible to BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutated genes (University of Utah,

It all starts off as a big puzzle, you have all these pieces that connect together that leads to a sequence of numbers. These numbers may be in order and fit perfectly into your puzzle, but then there is that one out of place piece that makes the puzzle not complete, that essentially is what the BRCA 1 gene mutation is, just a misplaced puzzle piece. The BRCA 1 gene mutation can go by many names like breast cancer 1, early onset or IRIS, but no matter what name you call it, it still inflicts some questions and concerns. The BRCA 1 gene mutation is a human gene that produces tumor suppressor proteins located on chromosome 17 at position 21. These proteins when not mutated, help repair damaged DNA and play a role in ensuring the stability of one 's cellular genetic material. When the gene becomes mutated, faulty, or altered it has the reverse effects. The protein sometimes does not form or forms incorrectly, therefore leading to DNA damage that may not be repaired properly. This results in an unfinished puzzle piece, which leads to the development of genetic alterations, in other words, could increase your risks of certain cancers. The BRCA 1 gene mutation is just like all other genes is inherited and passed on by your family, but it does not mean you will have the mutation. The BRCA 1 gene mutation can be inherited from either of your parents when one of your parents carries the mutation you have a fifty percent chance of inheriting the mutation. If you do inherit this

     In order for a woman to consider her case of breast cancer to be hereditary, she must contain either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation in her genetic make up. Hundreds of mutations have been found in both genes and almost all of the mutations identified are primitive mutations found in only a single family. Most of the mutations result

In 2012 165,000 children were diagnosed with cancer. 90.5 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year and 8.8 million people die each year because of cancer. Did you know that 1 in 2 men are diagnosed with cancer while 1 in 3 women are diagnosed with cancer? Cancer is a uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in a humans body. Cancer develops when the body's control mechanism stops working. Old Cells don't die instead they grow out of control, forming new, abnormal cells. These cells might form a tumor or “ a mass of tissue”. Some cancers such as leukemia do not form any tumors. The most common cancer for women is breast cancer while the most common cancers for men is prostate cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer this affects women

Women who are BRCA carriers have a 76–84% chance of developing breast cancer before the age of 70, compared to 13% of non BRCA gene mutation carriers. Additionally, carriers are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age, and their cancer is of a higher histologic grade. They are also more likely to develop cancer in the contralateral breast (Hardy, Tarasewicz, & Jeruss, 2013, p. 50). This increased risk is great cause for concern, and currently genetic testing is available to those who might be gene mutation carriers.

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

The potential risk of getting breast cancer increases when the women of someone 's family has it. It is thought that a 5 to 10 percentage of breast cancer forms can be passed down from the parent to the child (“Genetics,” 2016). This is due to certain genes in the body being anomalous. There are particular bits of chromosomes that actually do contribute to higher risk of breast cancer when these chromosomes are mutated. They are called single nucleotide polymorphisms, abbreviated as SNPs. If a mutated SNPs is associated with an anomalous BRAC1 gene, it brings the concern of developing the disease to very high. On the other hand, being a carrier of the BRAC1 or BRAC2 gene does not mean someone will get it in their lifespan. The carrier genes are ambiguous; and scientific inquiries on how these genes affect the body are still being observed.

Breast Cancer is a cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare. Anyone women could be at risk for breast cancer but, there are factors that make some women more susceptible to breast cancer than others. A risk factor is anything that affects your chances of getting a particular disease. Some can be controlled and some can’t. The ones you can control are genetics or family history, and environmental exposures or behaviors that might have happened in the past. The current and future behaviors can be controlled like exercise and a good diet. You also need to watch