Breast Cancer
In the United States in 1999 alone, an estimated 43,700 people will die frombreast cancer. It is the number two cancer killer among females ages 15 to 54.On average if a woman gets this disease, their life expectancy dropsdrastically. This cancer is within the top three cancers of all women abovethe age of 15, and comprises a great amount of all health care costs in theU.S. totaling an astounding 37 billion dollars a year in direct medical costs.An average woman is said to have a one in nine chance of getting the cancer,but if that person had family history of the disease, his or her chances havebeen measured up to a one in six chance. Sixty-nine percent ofAfrican-American women survive from it, and there are predicted to be nearlytwo million new cases reported this year in the U.S. (Breast Cancer KeyBreast cancer is a group of rapidly reproducing,undifferentiated cells in the area of the breast in men and women. Theearliest changes occur in the epithelial cells of the terminal end buds (TEB)of the breast milk ductal system. While the progressive steps of breast cancerare unknown, the cells in the breast trigger a reaction of cell reproduction.
Similar to rust clogging up pipes, often extra cells or cancerous cells willclog up the tubes providing for some discomfort and other risks. In one of the preliminary studies of thisparticular gene, over 250 Jewish women were discovered to have mutations inthis germ-line allele, which is a version of the trait that is passed to theoffspring through the germ line cell (or gamete). The ductalarea houses the lobules and ducts and is the area in which milk is produced. Othercomplications that result from this cancer and others are the clogging andcramming of the system (American Cancer Society, 1999: 10)Recently geneshave been named as a great cause of cancer. Chemotherapyinvolving tamoxifen has proved useful in delaying breast cancer recurrence,but the majority of patients treated with Tamoxifen eventually go intorelapse. It now is thought in the medicalcommunity that while there are definite environmental contributors to cancer,even those people who are exposed to few carcinogens may suffer from diseasethat runs in their families. "Perceptions of Breast Cancer Riskand Screening Effectiveness in Women Younger Than 50 Years of Age. The radiation required to examine a five milliliter lump isoften considered simply too high for safety, and has a possibility of justsimply spreading the cancer to other body parts.
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Acceptance Essays
