Breast Cancer Essay Example for Free

Breast Cancer Essay Cristian Davalos 2nd Period There are many different types of breast cancer. For example, breast cancer can begin in different areas of the breast like the ducts, the lobules, or in some cases, the tissue in between. In this essay I will explain the different types of breast cancer. I will also talk about the symptoms many women have when they get breast cancer. Then I will explain the treatments for breast cancer, and the alternative treatments. First of all, there are two main types of breast cancer invasive, and non-invasive, which means if the cancer is only in your breast or spreading out to other body parts. The first type is Ductal Carcinoma which is a non-invasive breast cancer where abnormal cells have been contained in the lining of the breast milk duct. The second type is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma which means that abnormal cells that originated in the lining of the breast milk duct have invaded surrounding tissue. The third type is Triple Negative Breast cancer which means that the cells in the tumor are negative for progesterone, estrogen, and HER2/neu receptors. The fourth type is Inflammatory Breast Cancer which is a less common form of breast cancer that may not develop a tumor and often affects the skin. The fifth type is Metastatic Breast Cancer which is cancer that has spread beyond the breast, sometimes into the lungs, bones, or brain. The sixth type is breast cancer during pregnancy; women who are diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy may face tremendous additional strain due to concern for the safety of the unborn child. There are also other types that are less common which include Medullary Carcinoma, Tubular Carcinoma, and Mucinous Carcinoma. Next, the symptoms women get before the actually get breast cancer. Some women may get a lump in the breast or underarm that persists after your menstrual cycle. This is usually the first apparent symptom of breast cancer. Most all lumps associated with breast cancer are usually painless, but in some cases it may cause a prickly sensation. Another symptom is swelling in the armpit, pain or tenderness in the breast. Also any change in the size, contour, texture, or temperature of the breast, a reddish, pitted surface like the skin of an orange could be a sign of advanced breast cancer. In some cases a change in the nipple, such as a nipple retraction, dimpling, itching, a burning sensation, or ulceration, or a scaly rash of the breast may be associated with an underlying breast cancer. Finally, the treatments of breast cancer have two major goals, which are to rid the body of the cancer as completely as possible, and to prevent cancer from returning. One treatment is Chemotherapy which uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Another type is Hormone therapy such as tamoxifen in premenopausal and postmenopausal women and the aromatase inhibitors arimidex, aromasin, and femara in postmenopausal women. Hormone therapy uses drugs to prevent hormones, especially estrogen, from promoting the growth of breast cancer cells that may remain after breast cancer surgery. Also, another treatment is biological therapy such as Herceptin, Perjeta, or Tykerb, which work by using the bodys immune system to destroy cancer cells. These drugs target breast cancer cells that have high levels of a protein called HER2. Alternative types of breast cancer treatments are lumpectomy surgery to remove a tumor and a small amount of normal tissue around it. Also another alternative treatment is partial mastectomy surgery which is to remove the part of the breast that has cancer and some normal tissue around it. The lining over the chest muscles below the cancer may also be removed. This procedure is also called a segmental mastectomy. Another treatment is total mastectomy, is surgery to remove the whole breast that has cancer. This procedure is also called a simple mastectomy. The last alternative treatment is modified radical mastectomy surgery which is to remove the whole breast that has cancer, many of the lymph nodes under the arm, the lining over the chest muscles, and sometimes, part of the chest wall muscles. In conclusion, as you may see there are many types of breast cancer and also a whole lot of treatments, as well as alternative treatments. References http://www. breastcancer. org/symptoms/types http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/breast-cancer/HQ00348 http://www. nationalbreastcancer. org/types-of-breast-cancer http://www. webmd. com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-cancer-treatment http://www. cancer. gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/Patient/page5