The Importance of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a serious disease that takes place in the cells of the breast. It is detected in many things, such as finding a lump or a change in how the breast looks. It is important to know how breast cancer works and the many parts that contribute to the knowledge of the disease. Famous actress Angelina Jolie brought breast cancer into the spotlight when she decided to get a double mastectomy. In the article “The Angelina Effect” that came from Times magazine, she reveals her reasons for getting the surgery, which was received with much controversy and mixed opinions. In this following paper, the genes that contribute to breast cancer, genetic testing, breast cancer being passed down, and Angelina
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It increases the risk of causing cancer in the cells. Tumor-suppressor genes makes sure that a cell does not stray away towards cancer. The protein from the tumor-suppressor gene keeps the cell division under control. When the gene gets mutated, it is a huge problem because the cell is no longer protected. It will likely become cancerous. These mutations cause the cell to start dividing uncontrollably and therefore makes the risk of getting breast cancer much higher. 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. BRCA genetic testing is a blood test; checking for anything that is off about BRAC1 and BRAC2 genes using DNA from a blood sample
“Cancer” is the name for a group of diseases that start in the body at the cellular level. Even though there are many different kinds of cancer, they all begin with abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These abnormal cells lump together to form a mass of tissue or “malignant tumor”. Malignant means that it can spread to other parts of the body or Metastasize . If the breast is the original location of the cancer growth or malignant tumor, the tumor is called breast cancer. (American Cancer Society, 2014, as cited in cbcf.org)
According to “The Clan of One-Breasted Women,” by Terry Tempest Williams, she discusses how cancer runs in her family. The type of cancer that runs in her family was breast cancer, however her mother, grandmothers, and six aunts all had mastectomies and that lead them to death. Just two of them survive, but they still need to go to chemotherapy and radiation to get check ups. Williams even had her own difficulty with breast cancer and a small tumor within her ribs. She talks about how you can get breast cancer and it’s for these reasons; the risk of percentages with more fatty diets, or getting pregnant after 30 years old.
We have all seen the pink ribbons. They have become a national, if not international symbol for breast cancer support and awareness. Breast cancer knows neither racial boundaries nor age restrictions. Females of all ages and ethnicities can develop breast cancer and it is the leading most common cancer among women. Calling attention to this often fatal disease is important by supporting its victims, families and friends of victims, as well as raising funds for breast cancer research. Though males are not immune from developing a breast cancer, for the purposes of this paper, this paper will be limited to information relating breast cancer in females.
According to the United States Breast Cancer Statistics (2016), in 2016 there will be an estimated 246,660 newly diagnosed cases of invasive breast cancer and 61,000 of non-invasive breast cancer among women. For this reason, when studying breast cancer based on a large-scale impact, it not only affects the patient themselves but, as well as their families and communities nationwide. Furthermore, many contributing factors lead to this being such a public health issue. Conclusively, there are specific programs, services, and policies that help to assist the contributing factors of such a public health threat. Nevertheless, breast cancer is still an increasing concern in society, and much-needed research is required to be able to detect and treat this disease.
Women who are at the greatest risk are over the age over the age of fifty years of age. Patients with a family history of cancer, especially in their first degree relatives, may have inherited mutations of BRCA1 and/or BRCA2. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genetic mutations that put patients are risk for cancer. Patients that have a history of breast cancer are five times more likely of developing cancer in the opposite breast. Patients with dense breast are at risk for developing breast cancer due to the fact dense breast contains more glandular and connective tissue. Patients who are exposed to high doses of ionizing radiation to the thorax, early menarche, tobacco use, nulliparity, late menopause, and first child birth after thirty years of age put the patient at risk for breast cancer (Ignatavicius, 2013, p.
Breast cancer is a disease in which certain cells in the breast become abnormal and multiply uncontrollably to form a tumor. Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. (Only skin cancer is more common.) About one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. Researchers estimate that more than 230,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women in 2015. Cancers occur when a buildup of mutations in critical genes—those that control cell growth and division or repair damaged DNA—allow cells to grow and divide uncontrollably to form a tumor. Breast cancer can be caused by inherited genetic factors. These genetic
When a tumor suppressor gene is effected by a mutation, it loses its control over the cell and the cell does not stop to get inspected. When this happens, the mutation is copied, the cell divides and damage is passed down to the newly formed daughter cells. The mutation then becomes permanent and the now mutated cell will continue to divide and proliferate when it normally would not.
“In 2015, there are more than twenty-eight million women with a history of breast cancer in the United States of America. This Includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment. – BreastCancer.Org“ Breast cancer has taking over many people bodies, also lives. Anybody can get breast cancer from man to women. Cancer doesn’t have to be in your family history for you to get it.
Breast cancer, a very painful disease emotionally and physically for women, can also be detected with genetic testing. The majority of cases of breast cancer are not the result of known inherited mutations, but rather from two breast cancer susceptibility genes: BRCA1 and BRCA2. Although the two genes are similar, BRCA1 mutations lead to estrogen receptor negative
Conley (2015) states, “In the not-so-distant future, BRAC1 may predict mastectomies, not breast cancer” (p. 658). This is an interesting notion since the test predicts proteins that specifically correlate to breast and ovarian cancer. The notion that Conley is trying to make is that as the test becomes more affordable and more women are tested for it, consequently more women will take preventative measures, such as mastectomies. Tests that predict something in particular become adapted into the social sphere.
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).
This is why BRCA-positive people have a higher risk for cancers. It also explains why they get them earlier in life. They were born already having one mutated BRCA allele ready to fuel cancer cells.
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
The BRCA genes are tumor suppressor genes. When a BRCA gene is damaged in either location, it can lead to increased chances of cancer, particularly breast or ovarian cancer in women. BRCA stands for breast cancer susceptibility gene, both the BRCA1 and BRCA2 are suppose to protect you from getting cancer, so when you have changes or mutations on either one or both of your BRCA genes, thats when the cells are more likely start dividing and change rapidly which than in return can lead to cancer. Genetic testing can be obtained by women to learn if their family history of breast cancer is due to an inherited gene mutation, studies show that the majority of the women who get breast cancer do not have an inherited gene mutation. The costs pertaining
According to the American Cancer Society, Each year, more than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer; furthermore Twelve percent of all women will contract the disease, and 3.5% of them will die from breast cancer (American Cancer Society, 2005). There are risk factors that may lead to breast cancer. There are 4 stages of breast cancer and several treatments, although treatments vary from types and stages of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women who are 40 to 55 years old (Breast Cancer, 2009).Cancer occurs when cells divide uncontrollably. It changes from a normal cell to cancerous cells that require gene alterations. Therefore the altered genes and the uncontrolled growth may lead to tumors.