Pathophysiology of Breast Cancer Is Research Paper

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However, in cancer these cells grow out of control and mutate, causing disease. Some of the issues with the development of breast cancer have been linked to exposure to estrogen, but that does not always appear to be the case (Sariego, 2010). Other factors can also be problematic. The main issue with breast cancer is not what caused it but how to treat it and whether it is diagnosed quickly. Mammograms are still the standard to locate lumps that may or may not be breast cancer. When these lumps are suspect, a biopsy is often done in order to determine what the lump, or mass, actually is and whether there is cancer present. Biopsies are the best way to determine if there are cancerous cells, but some of the rarer types of breast cancer are still hard to diagnose and require other options (Gotzsche & Nielsen, 2011).

Once a diagnosis of breast cancer has been made, there are several options for treatment depending on the severity of the cancer at the time it is found. In many cases a mastectomy will be performed and the entire breast will be removed (Sariego, 2010). There are also cases where a quarter of the breast is removed and cases where only the lump and surrounding tissue is removed. Generally, chemotherapy, radiation, or both will also be used to ensure that any remaining cancer cells have been killed and that the cancer will (hopefully) not return (Sariego, 2010). Once a mastectomy or other breast surgery has taken place, patients can have a reconstruction of the breast through cosmetic surgery.

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This will provide the person with a chest that looks more like what she had before the removal of tissue, but not all women choose reconstruction. Some choose to simply have a flat chest, and others choose to wear a prosthetic device that gives the appearance of breasts under clothing (Saini, et al., 2011).

For the future, there are trends that are important to consider. One of these is molecular breast imaging. It is currently being studied and considered, because it may provide a better way to look for breast cancer and diagnose it sooner and more easily (Gotzsche & Nielsen, 2011). Studies have also shown that some of the current breast cancer screenings do not catch anything before it would be caught by simply being obvious. Mammograms can also produce false positives and a great deal of unnecessary anxiety, along with the potential for breast cancer because of the radiation they give to the breast during the examination (Gotzsche & Nielsen, 2011). Because of that (slight) risk, some argue that mammograms are not needed and that they do not catch breast cancer early enough and often enough to be of value. With that in mind, new screening tools are needed and women must work with their health care providers in an effort to ensure they are being kept healthy and screened properly but that they are not being examined unnecessarily and made more anxious by a system that is designed to protect them from illnesses such as breast cancer......

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"Pathophysiology Of Breast Cancer Is" (2012, October 22) Retrieved May 17, 2025, from
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"Pathophysiology Of Breast Cancer Is" 22 October 2012. Web.17 May. 2025. <
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"Pathophysiology Of Breast Cancer Is", 22 October 2012, Accessed.17 May. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/pathophysiology-breast-cancer-76075