Breast Cancer Paper

Breast Cancer Treatment

Communication and Composition 156

Breast Cancer Treatment

Imagine sitting in the doctor’s office waiting to hear if the lump that has been discovered is cancer. Think about the feelings involved- shock, fear, sadness, maybe even denial. Now imagine those fears are a reality, and the lump is cancerous. Many women face this possibility each year as they await the results of their own mammograms. According to the National Cancer Institute (2012) it is estimated that 226,870 of those women will get that dreaded news this year and 39,510 women will die from breast cancer. Cancer, a large group of different diseases that all involve the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body, is a major public health problem that affects more than 1 million people diagnosed each year. The uncontrolled growth and abnormal cell development cause the cells to form masses called tumors. According to Davis’ (2011) Brain Cancer article “Cancerous tumors grow and spread aggressively, overpowering healthy cells by taking their blood space and nutrients” (paragraph 1). Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the ducts, glands and tissues surrounding breast. The American Cancer Society (2011) stated that 1 in 8 women are at risk of facing breast cancer throughout their lifetime. Despite this harrowing statistic, there is still hope. Scientists continue to research possible cures for breast cancer, improving treatment options and saving more lives every day. Current treatment options for breast cancer include different surgery options, chemotherapy radiation therapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapy or a combination of different treatments. Even though using multiple treatments at given times to fight breast cancer can diminish the quality of life for the patient, combining methods of treatment for breast cancer is often more effective because surgery combined with radiation can diminish the chances of recurrence and combining surgery and...