“ Breast Cancer “

15 min readMar 20, 2022

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

Introduction

This topic which I have chosen to discuss simply refers to the fact of Breast Cancer. Well, first we need to understand what is breast cancer all about. It simply originates from the production of abnormal cells in our body. Cells which it is capable of irregular or independent growth first appear as tumors abnormal masses of tissues that form in our body, and if the local we could not take some action earlier it may lead to cancer. The two types of breast cancer are benign and tumors which are the local or mild structure of tissues and malignant tumors or cancerous which do invade or destroy the surrounding structure or tissues in certain body cells. Through this booklet, I describe the structure and conditions of breast cancer. This will serve as your guide to what you should expect and to what you can do on your own. It will also help you to make full use of the treatment and information given by the expert or doctor.

Most important of all, I want to encourage you to take action early either by seeing someone who can help you the most if possible, or if not by helping yourself. That is because breast cancer needs prompt attention and treatment. If you have to wait months or years to be seen by the doctor to receive proper treatment regarding your problem it may cause trouble for years to come.

This topic also describes the sign and symptoms its cause and courses, its early detection, etc., and explain the process that goes on in the body when it is damaged, so that you will understand the importance of early detection to be aware or avoid the common complications that cause by the breast cancers

TO recover and overcome it there are some tips for example your dietary guidelines and exercises to be done accurately and purposefully that are effective to be used to achieve the ways that breast cancer brings.

Acknowledgment

First to God for the knowledge and skills as well as for the courage and strength to make these research writings possible.

For my late beloved mom Erlinda who is my inspiration a woman of strong determination and courage who suffered much and died of breast cancer. I dedicate this in memory of her.

Introduction ………………………………………………………………… 1

Acknowledgment ………………………………………………………… .. 2

Chapter

What are Breast Cancers all about? …………………………………………………………………… 3–7

2. Signs and symptoms of breast cancers ………………………………………………………………………. 8

3. Cause and course of breast cancer ………………………………………………………………………… 9

4. Two types of breast cancer and tumors and three general categories of your body ………………………………………………………………………… 10–11

5. Early detection and prevention ………………………………………………………… ..……… 12

Check yourself ……………………………………………………………… 13

Detection of breast cancer ……………………………………………………………………….. 14

6. Kinds of detection through the machine …………………………………………………………………….. 15

7. Five dietary guidelines for breast cancer ………………………………………………………………………. 16

8. Medical types of therapy …………………………………………………….………………. 17

Questions

1. What is breast cancer?

2. What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer?

3. How can we prevent/ overcome breast cancer?

4. Does self -examination are effective?

5. Why that more women are affected than men?

6. What are those diets/ foods that are applicable to this kind of disease?

7. Do you think it is important that women like us must seek some ad-vises or goes for a check-up with our physicians/ doctors?

Chapter 1

What is Breast Cancer all about?

Breast cancer is among the leading causes of death among women in Western Countries, especially in Asia and Africa nowadays. It is one of the oldest and best-known types of cancer. It is determined in an Ancient Egyptian Papyrus from 5,000 years ago. The hormone factors involved in the physiology of breast cancer have been studied by physicians for more than 100 years. But the most common cancer affects women. It kills more than any other kind of cancer, nearly everyone knows a friend or relative who has been stricken by breast cancer. Yet the cause of breast cancer is still unknown.

Cancer of the breast may occur as early as the teens, but this is rare. It is generally not formal before the age of 30 and the incidence peaks around the time of menopause. Then there is the recording period after the age of about 65 when the incidence of breast cancer risk again.

Breast cancer usually begins in the ducts of the milk glands, the first noticeable sign is a lump in the breast. The lump may occur or may appear quadrant. Most lumps are not awarely cancerous.

_____ 1

James Henry, Compton’s Encyclopedia Vol.3

(Compton’s Learning Company,1995),pp.231

In the typical case of breast cancer, a small tumor half an inch in diameter, large enough to be detected during, careful self-examination can grow to cancer two- inches in diameter in six(6) months to a year. The lump generally causes no pain. Pain is barely associated with early breast cancer. If the tumor is allowed to grow unchecked, it may cause pulling the skin within.

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Richard Wagman, The New Complete Medical Health Encyclopedia Vol.3

( J.G. Ferguson Publishing House 1982–1995 ),pp.

One out of ten (10) women will eventually develop breast cancer. Women more likely than the others to develop the disease are those over the age of 50, those who have already had cancer in one breast, those whose mother or sister had breast cancer, those who never had children, and those who had their first child after the age of 30. Other risk factors include being overweight, a high-fat diet, early menarche, or the age when menstruation begins, and late menopause, or the age when menstruation lessens and ceases.

A monthly breast examination is recommended as a way to detect breast cancer early. Most of the lumps found in the breast are not cancerous, but women should see their physician to find out for sure. The American Cancer Society also recommends period mammograms or breast cancer X-rays for all women over the age of 40 as well as physical examination of the breast by physicians for all women over the age of 20, even if they have no symptoms of breast cancer.

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James Henry, Compton’s Encyclopedia Vol. 4

( Compton’s Learning Company, 1995)pp.132

Cancer of the breast caused more details in women than any other type of State in 1976. Over 33,000 women died from the disease that year. About one out of every 15 American women will develop the disease at some t during their lifetime. It rarely develops in women under the age of 25 and has a peak incidence between the age of 40–50, breast cancer occurs 100 times more frequently in women than in men.

Over 90 percent of all cancers of the breast are first found by the patients themselves a role in the success. Unfortunately, any delay that may occur plays a decisive role in the success or failure of treatments. Delay may be of the two (2) types:

1. Delay before the patient seeks professional help.

2. Delay on the part of a physician in making a diagnosis and giving proper treatment.

The delay gives breast cancer the opportunity to spread and accounts for the 5-year survival rate for localized cancer of 84 percent compared with 56 percent when there is regional.

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Mark Renneker, Steven Leib, Dianne Mckay, Understanding Cancers

( University of California San Francisco American Cancer Society, March & August 1997), pp. 241

The role of genetic factors in the development of cancer, although poorly understood, is unmistakably evident. The risk of breast cancer in women with a family history of the disease is approximately two to three times greater than that in control groups. The mechanism of inheritance of the predisposition is unknown but is believed to be multifactional.

Marital status and the number of children also seem to influence the incidence of breast cancer. Mulliparon ( never having given birth ) women have a slightly higher death rate from the disease than those with children. Late menarche ( menstruation ) and early menopause are associated with a slightly lower incidence of breast cancer. These observations suggest that hormonal factors have some influence on the genesis of the disease. Estrogen is an unknown hormone in the menstrual cycle. Most breast cancer carcinomas arise in ducts and it would be reasonable to expect that excessive estrogen effects might lead to increased cellular proliferation which might be a requisite for cancerous transformation.

Breastfeeding probably does not protect against breast cancer as formerly thought. Breast cancer patients do not differ from unaffected women with respect to a history of location if an account is taken of the fact that breast cancer patients tend to have had fewer children.

Mammary disposals ( cystic disease of the breast ) are possibly associated with an increased incidence of malignancy. This occasion is controversial because of the occurrence of varying diseases of mammary dysphasia in over 50 percent of breasts examined at autopsy in women dying of causes other than breast cancer.

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Maark Renneker, Steven Ieib, Dianne Mckay Understanding Cancer

( University of California San Francisco, American Society, March & August 1997 ), pp. 241

Chapter 2

Signs and Symptoms

These meaningful signs and symptoms can best be understood so that we could be aware of or rather than prepare when breast cancer strikes.

Cancer of the breast is common in women and occasionally occurs in men. It is usually a painless lump thickening, especially a painless first. Another early sign of this is a bloody discharge a little later cancer becomes more firmly attached to the skin in most cases, so a puckering develops in the skin over the lump.

_____ 6

Hubert O. Swartout, Guardian of Health

( Philippine Publishing House, 1961 ) , pp. 27

Chapter 3

Cause and Course

These are the two facts presented considering certain condition which occurs in breast cancer.

Breast cancers develop primarily in the breast in nearly all cases, but they spread fairly early to lymph glands in the armpit and chest, which makes them difficult to cure.

The cause of breast cancer is not known, but certain conditions are associated with a higher incidence of the disease. It is also important that we might research or know those important tips regarding the causes of breast cancer so that we might avoid that bad habit of us. And we might know the contraindications of breast cancer, where this kind of disease came from, and how to overcome this situation/condition.

Hereditary has an influence on the occurrence of cancer, but one that can be accurately measured or foreseen in any individual case. A virus or a group of viruses is at least part of the cause of this disease. Irritation and repeated injury may also cause cancer.

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Hubert O. Swartout, Guardian of Health

( Philippine Publishing House, 1961 ), pp. 29

Chapter 4

Two (2) types of Breast Cancer

1. Malignant — So aggravated as they threatened life, usually resistant to treatment and often having the property of uncontrolled growth as cancer.

2. Benign — Mild or unmalignant and responding to treatment.

Two (2) types of Tumors

1. Originating tissues, with those arising from connective tissue called sarcomas and tease from epithelial tissue called carcinomas.

2. Extent on the degree of cell tissue change and differentiation with stage defined according to the rate of growth degree of autonomy and invasiveness.

_____8

James Henry, Compton’s Encyclopedia Vol. 4

( Compton’s Learning Company, 1995 ), pp. 132

Three (3) General Categories for the body tissue in which cancer originated

1. Sarcomas — which arises from bone and soft fibrous tissues such as muscles, and blood vessels.

2. Carcinomas — which arise from the epithelium the cells that make up the skin and lining of the body organs including the lung, breast, ovarian, colon, pancreatic, and cervical cancers.

3. Leukemia and Lymphomas — which arise from the blood cells of the bone marrow or lymph node cells.

_____8

Ernest Rosenbaum, Can You Prevent Cancers?

( The C.V. Moskey Company, 1993 ), pp.3

Chapter 5

Early Detection and Prevention

Breast cancer often starts as a painless, seemingly harmless lump. For lack of knowledge on what to do or fear perhaps, a lot of women keep the discovery of a lump in their breast to themselves until it's too late. By then, cancer would have spread to other parts of the body and it could turn out to be fatal.

* The best protection against breast cancer is a monthly self-examination.

* Look for the following telltale symptoms: lumps, thickening or swelling around the breast, wrinkling of the skin in this area, and discharge from the nipple.

* When you notice the presence of any of these symptoms, particularly a lump, consult your doctor right away. Do not waste time, since cancer is very fast to spread, don’t attempt to wait before it’s too late to be cured. It is better to seek some advice from your doctor so that you might know what is the result. If it is not malignant you don’t have to worry, then you will seek another opinion that is extremely necessary.

For Prevention

Watch Your Diet. Take lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains cereals, and bread. Their types of foods have been found to prevent cancer.

Don’t Smoke. Smoking weakens the immune system of your body and makes it more susceptible to developing the disease.

Exercise Regularly. when you’re physically fit, your stamina and resistance to illness are greater.

Manage the Stress in your Life. Stress increases your chances of developing cancer.

Keep a Positive Mental Attitude in Life. It helps increase your resistance to disease.

_____10

Dolly T. Dy “MOD Magazine” Vol.28 no.1260

( October 27, 1995 ), pp. 15

Check Yourself

You can win the battle against breast cancer by learning the right way to check yourself for suspect lumps in the breast.

These are the three steps of Self-Examinations which could help as a lot should be done monthly for conduct.

1. Examine Yourself While Facing a Mirror. Put your hands on your waist and check your reflections in a mirror. See if there are any changes in shape, or size if there is wrinkling of the skin around the breast, and if the nipples shone and show any signs of abnormality or discharge.

2. Examine Yourself While Taking a Bath. When your breast is wet, you will have an easier time identifying abnormal growths or thickening masses around them. Use your right hand to examine the left breast and vice versa. With a circular motion, feel for any lumps or thickening all around the breast.

3. Examine Yourself While Lying Down. Lie down flat on your back. Put your left hand high above your head or fold it under your head, and examine your left breast. With your right hand, feel for any lump or thickening around your left breast. Do three slow, circular motions from just below your nipples to the area of the armpit. Using your left hand, examine your right breast in a similar way.

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Dolly T. TY, “ MOD Magazine “ Vol. 28 no. 1260 ( October 27, 1995 ), pp. 15

Detection of Breast Cancer

Fortunately, breast cancer can be treated effectively if it is detected early enough. Some 95% of breast cancer is discovered by the patient heavy when she notices a lump. The cure rate for breast cancer could be greatly improved if women made a routine monthly self-examination and then consulted a physician immediately if they found that there is a thickening of the lump in their breast. Most such lumps are benign, but it is more important than one you might know that it is malignant before it's too late or delayed to be cured.

_____2

Richard J. Wagman, The New Complete Medical Health Encyclopedia Vol. 3

( J> G> Ferguson Publishing Company, 1982–1995 ), pp. 821–819

Chapter 6

Kinds of Detection

Through the Machines

Thermography — early detection technique involve which is based on the fact that ( hormone ) tumor cells produce slightly more heat than their normal tissues. Hence a device that is sufficiently heated sensitive can detect the pinpoint, location of the incipient tumor.

Mammography — is an X-ray technique developed specifically for the examination of breast tissue. However, like tumors, mammography cannot determine whether a tumor is benign or malignant or if the opaque spot on the film is because of some other mineral-rich tissue rather than a tumor.

Xeroradiography — is a method that is like mammography, like an X-ray but it entails only about half the exposure to radiation. It can detect ( too small ) 85 to 95% of all breast cancer, including those too small to be located by palpation. Examine takes 20 minutes.

Other Methods

Ultrasound — can distinguish between lumps that are cystic and fluid-filled and therefore benign-those that are solid. The text however may need to differentiate between benign or malignant solid lumps.

Diaphanography — or transillumination technician/physician shines an ordinary white light through the breast in the dark. It can determine whether the breast lumps are fibrous, benign, or malignant.

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Richard J. Wagman, The New Complete Medical Health Encyclopedia, Vol. 3

( J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company, 1982–1995 ), pp. 821–819

Chapter 7

Five Dietary Guidelines for Breast Cancer

1. Avoid Fats. Reduces fat intake by reducing cancer risk by approximately ( 40 to 30% ) of total dietary calories and avoids obesity.

2. Dietary Fiber. Include fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain cereals in your daily diet. Also Vit. A and C on your daily diet could help you a lot.

3. Preserved Food. Limit the use of food preserved by salt curing ( including salt-pickling ) smoking or nitrite curing.

4. Contaminated Food. Avoid contamination of foods with carcinogens from any known source. Identify foods and test for their carcinogenicity.

5. Alcohol. Use alcoholic beverages in moderation, if used at all. But avoid these if it is better for you.

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C. William’s Diet Nutrition and Cancer

( C. J. Moskey Company, 1993 ),pp. 12–13

Chapter 8

Medical Types and Therapy

1. Radiation — testicular seminomas to radiotherapy whereas nonseminomas do not. External beam radiation is given to the abdomen following orchiectomy.

2. Chemotherapy — is given following orchiectomy for those patients with metastases combination of chemotherapy with depletion of vinblastine and bleomycin is effective. For prosthetic or penile cancer, chemotherapy is given only for palliative effect with deep distant metastasis.

3. Hormone Therapy — Estrogen therapy may be used for advanced prosthetic cancer when metastasis has occurred, especially to the bone. It helps to decrease pain and reduce tumor size.

4. Endocrine Therapy — A great deal of evidence points to estrogen being the predominant group of hormones that stimulates breast cancer cell proliferation.

5. Adjuvant Therapy — A systematic endocrine and chemotherapy given soon after primarily surgical treatment will delay relapse and prolong survival.

6. Primary Medical Therapy ( Neoadjuvant ) — Accurate cytological or tricot diagnosis of primary breast cancer is now possible and this allows the use of primary systemic ( neoadjuvant ). Endocrine Therapy and Chemotherapy before surgical excision of the primary hour.

________I

Trevor J. Powels and Ian E. Smith, Medical Management of Breast Cancer

( J. B. Lippincott Company, East Washington Square, 1991 ), pp. 335–33

Breast Cancer is one of the leading diseases that we are facing anywhere in this world nowadays. Women are mostly affected by this kind of disease than men. That is why many specialist doctors, nutritionists, or even herbalist experts are trying their very best to study how to combat this kind of disease.

Proper knowledge about Breast Cancer can lessen and lead to the best result because lack of knowledge or ignorance regarding this matter results in continued pain and discomfort in our body but also in our pocket for we need to expense regular medications in order for us to live longer. The increased risk of cancer spreading inside our body takes time, effort, patience, and perseverance for years of medications but the worst is that some cancer can be cured but others may not which will put us in danger and life-threatening death.

Sources/ References:

Henry, Jame. Campton’s Encyclopedia Vol.4

Compton’s Learning Company, 1995

Powles, Trevor J., and Ian E. Smith. Medical Management of Breast Cancer

J.B. Lippincott Company, East Washington Square, 1991

Renneker, Mark, Steven Leib, and Dianne Mckay, Understanding Cancer.

University of California San Francisco, American Cancer Society, Ist ed. 1997.

Rosenbaum, Ernest H. Can You Prevent Cancers?

The C.V. Moskey Company, 1993.

Swartout, Hubert O. Guardian of Health,

Philippine Publishing House, 1961.

Wagman, Richard. The New Complete Medical Health Encyclopedia Vol.3

J.G. Ferguson Publishing House, 1982–95.

William, C. Diet Nutrition and Cancer.

The C.V. Moskey Company, 1993.

Magazine

Dy, Dolly T. “MOD Magazine” Vol. 28 no. 1260

( October 27, 1995 ), pp. 15

I. The New Complete Medical Health Encyclopedia Vol.3

Author: Richard J. Wagman M.D. , FACP

Page: 821–819

II. Compton’s Encyclopedia Vol. 4 & Vol. 3

Author: James Henry

Pages: 132–231

III. Understanding Cancer

Author: Mark Renneker, Steven Leib & Dianne Mckay

Page: 241

IV. Guardian of Health

Aurhor: Hubert O. Swartout, M.D. D.N.E. Dr. P. H.

Pages: 27 & 29

V. MOD Magazines Vol. XXVIII no. 1260

Author: Dolly T.Dy

Page: 15

VI. Medical Management of Breast Cancer

Author: Trevor J. Powles/ Ian E. Smith

Pages: 335–337

VII. Diet Nutrition and Cancer

Author: C. Williams

Pages: 12–13

VIII. Can you Prevent Cancers?

Author: Ernest H. Rosenbacim

Page: 3