There is not direct cause of cancer yet, there are many negative factors that may increase an individual’s risk of getting cancer. Cancer results in the mutation of cells and genes, these mutations are either somehow acquired or inherited. Carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, UV rays, and many more are known to initiate some cancers. Some cancers may be even triggered by diet. Diets that are high in fat and low in fiber have been known to be linked to causation of certain cancers. Certain cancers can be activated by hormone imbalances. For example, some mothers have been given diethylstilbestrol during pregnancy to prevent miscarriage developed vaginal adenocarcinomas. X-rays and radioactive material are also carcinogenic. Various types of cancer cause rapid cell growth, while others cause cells to grow and divide at a slower rate. Certain forms of cancer result in visible tumors, while others, such as leukemia, do not.
Cancer treatments have progressed, evolved and advanced over the course of time; cancer has been dated back to 1600 B.C. Common cancer treatments are chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and or surgery. New medications and procedures are constantly being created such as antiangiogenic agents. For most cancers, surgery is one the primary treatments used. Cancers such as skin and oral cancer can benefit from electrosurgery which creates an electrical current to kill cancer cells. Laser surgery works best on places hard of reach such as our dermis, cervix, rectum, and larynx. Diagnostic surgery occurs when a pathologist examines and evaluates whether the tested tissue is cancerous, similar to a biopsy. Chemotherapy is also another common option. Cytotoxic chemotherapy is used on cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia. Cytotoxic chemotherapy is directed to rapidly proliferating cells. and interfere with nucleic acid and protein synthesis within the cell.
Breast cancer originates within the breast and is the second leading cause of death in women, next in line to lung cancer. Although women primarily can acquire breast cancer, some men can have it too. Even with early detection with the aid of mammograms and mammographies, breast cancer seems to have risen in the past 50 years. An ultrasound scan can help differentiate between a mass or a fluid-filled cyst. Breast cancer can derive from our lobules or ducts. Lobular carcinoma typically affects both breasts. There are specific found causes for breast cancer such as high levels of female sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone appears to heighten the risk of certain breast cancers. Hormonally related risk factors include an early menarche, late menopause, nullipara, or obesity.
For most breast cancer treatments, it typically occurs with a surgical excision of the tumor. A common procedure used for breast cancer is a mastectomy. A simple mastectomy involves removing the lobules, ducts, fatty tissue, nipple, areola, and some skin. The lymph nodes under the arm are removed in a procedure known as axillary dissection. Hormone therapy in the form of ovary removal is used to slow the growth of metastatic breast cancer. Another treatment, Lumpectomy, is the removal of the tumor and a small margin of healthy tissue around it can help prevent the spread of the cancer. This may be an option if the tumor is small and likely to be easy to separate from the surrounding tissue. Hormone therapy is another option for treatment and involves taking medications that alter how certain hormones work or interfere with the body's ability to produce them. This type of approach is common with cancers that are affiliated with hormones such as prostate cancer and breast cancer.
Women that have had breast cancer are more likely to develop cancer again, in comparison to those whom have no history of the disease. Having some type of benign lumps within the breast increases the chances of getting cancer later on such as atypical ductal hyperplasia. Radiation therapy is another treatment widely used for breast cancer. Adverse effects of radiation therapy include fatigue and lymphedema ,which is darkening of the breast skin, and irritation of the breast skin.
Cancer is not only limited as one disease but many diseases. There are more than 100 different types of cancer. Most cancers are typically named by where they start. Many factors in our genes, our lifestyle, and the environment that surrounds us may potentially increase or decrease our risk of getting cancer.