brest cancer Essay

Researchers have associated mutations in specific genes with more than 50 hereditary cancer syndromes, which are disorders that may predispose individuals to developing certain cancers. Genetic tests can tell whether a person

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.

When I was given this ancestry project I automatically knew I wanted to figure out my family genetics and why I got cancer in the first place. I am the only child out of four in my family to get cancer. After digging into some history I found out that my mom, grandma, and uncle had cancer. It's weird how genetics work but I was basically doomed from the beginning. My grandma had breast cancer and had both her breasts removed. My uncle had stage four lung cancer and passed away shortly after diagnosis. And my mom had thyroid cancer only a few years ago and is a survivor. Since there is history of breast cancer in my family I had to get tested for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene, which is a mutated gene that is inherited from your family. This gene increases your risk of developing breast cancer to 50%, a one in two

Attention getter: About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have NO (make sure to emphasize) family history of breast cancer. This disease occurs mainly in women but men can also get it.

Personally, I feel like BRCA1 may not predict cancer in the future because cancer cells are always evolving. Just because the BRCA1 marker can predict cancer now, it does not mean it can in the future. The makeup of cancer cells may very well change which means the BRCA1 gene mutation would also have to evolve to be able to make those same predictions. This is what makes viruses and cancer such deadly and scary diseases. They are always evolving and retailing against our cures and antibiotics. For example, take vaccines. You purposely inject a very small portion of a virus into your body so your body can learn how to fight out the virus before you get the real thing and become extremely sick. Cancer cells are able to evolve just like the cells

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.

This examination compiled the following information: Grandmother “C” has BRCA1 trait resulting in double mastectomy at age 35, prior to diagnosis Grandmother “C” only medical condition was hypertension,. Mother “M” information was obtained. Mother "M" provided the

My mother, Bonita, was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45. She first discovered the lump herself and proceeded to take it to a professional to get it checked out. There is no evidence in her immediate family to say that this is hereditary, but a combination of a few factors increased her risk of getting breast cancer. My mother was overweight, has had an early menstruation (before age 12), lived a sedentary lifestyle, and at the time she didn’t have a well-balanced diet. Along with those factors, her doctors pointed out that her risk could have been increased by her use of an oral contraceptive.

That really made me wonder if the cause of my aunt's diagnoses was from a family member or if it just came from her genes. It would have been a small chance that my aunt could have gotten breast cancer from anyone in my family, especially because nothing in my family history shows that anyone had it.

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).

For those who may inherit one copy of BRCA, they get a higher chance of getting cancer because they only need one more mutated BRCA to develop cancer.

All women are at risk; but are more likely to develop breast cancer if they are over 50 years of age, have family with breast cancer or had their first child over age 30 or never had a child. The current recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and

Meanwhile, in addition to the male's occupation, radiation exposure and age can lead to breast cancer developments ( National Cancer Institute, 2007). When these risk factors are revealed in a diagnoses of breast cancer, men have more advanced cancerous growths than women (Giordano, 2004). So men may think, how do I get breast cancer? Is it inherited?

A family history of breast cancer may increase your risk of getting breast cancer. Although someone in your family has breast cancer does not mean you will have it too. About 75% of patients with breast cancer do not have a family history of breast cancer. Girls who have a menstruation before the age of 12 and women who has menopause after the age of 50 can increase your risk of cancer. Older women are at higher risk then younger women. Women over 40 who have there first pregnancy is at risk of getting the disease. White woman are more likely to get breast cancer than African-American women, but African-American women are more likely to die from cancer. Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian women have a lower risk of getting breast cancer then white or black women. According to a study, woman who takes birth control has a slightly greater risk of getting breast cancer. Most studies suggest that use of HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) for relief of menopause symptoms for more than 5 years may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer (Breast Cancer Statistics, 2008).

Although breast cancer may occur at a higher rate in older women; everyone should know their family cancer history. For instance, genetics can play a role in developing this disease, as well as some inherited genes. Additionally, having a family history of breast cancer can double the risk of