Running head: BREAST CANCER 1

Breast Cancer Treatment

Tameka Joy-Hawkins

Walden University

Advance Pharmacology

NURS:6521 Section 10

Dr. Janet Gutner

August 5, 2018
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Introduction

Cancer is one of the leading illness in America, with increasingly new cases each year.

Since 2012, the number of new cases has been greater than 14.1 million, with an estimated new

case for 2018 to be approximately greater than 1,700,000 (Cancer Statistics, n.d.).

Approximately greater than 30% of men and women in the United States will be diagnosed with

cancer. The estimated diagnosis of new cases of cancer by the year 2030 will be approximately

greater than 20 million. Since 2012 the survival rate for individuals suffering from cancer is

approximately greater than 14 million, and the mortality rate has been approximately 8 million

(Cancer Statistics, n.d. -1).

One of the most common types of cancer is breast cancer, with one out every 8 women

will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in

women, with an estimated 250,000 new cases annually. Breast cancer is rare in male; however,

the yearly estimated new cases are approximately 2000. The survival rate for breast cancer is

approximately 3 million (Breast Cancer Foundation, n.d.-2). The purpose of this paper is to

discuss prevention screening, treatment options, and short-term and long-term treatment

implications of high-risk individuals as it relates to breast cancer.

Preventative Screening

Breast cancer can be characterized into two groups, invasive and noninvasive breast

cancer. Invasive or infiltrating breast cancer occurs when cancerous cells invade the normal

tissue of the breast, penetrating the lymph nodes and bloodstream of the body. Noninvasive or in
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situ breast cancer occurs in a specific area of the breast. The cancerous cells are localized to that

area, with no spreading of the cancerous cells to surrounding lobules, ducts, or tissue. Currently,

there are twelve different types of breast cancer (Breast Cancer Types, n.d.-3).

Preventative Screening for breast cancer includes monthly self- examination, breast

ultrasound, mammogram, MRI of the breast, and clinical breast exam are key preventative

screening. Preventative screening for high-risk Individuals includes genetic testing for the breast

cancer gene 1 and 2, also known as BRCA 1 and 2, mammogram, MRI of the breast, breast

ultrasound, and breast biopsy (Breast Screening, 2018- 4I).

High risk individuals for breast cancer are individuals with a family history of breast

cancer or other forms of cancer, individuals with history of tumor suppressant genes known as

BRCA 1or BRCA 2 or family members with history of BRCA 1 or 2; or individuals with

previous children or young adult history of radiation therapy, or individuals with history or

family members with history of the following syndromes; Li-Fraumeni, Cowden, or Bannayan-

Riley.

High-risk individuals require frequent and earlier screening for ongoing prevention and

treatment. Mammogram and MRI of the breast are recommended earlier in age for high-risk

individuals; recommended age range from the late 20s to early 30s either annually or every other

year (American Cancer Society, n.d.-5). Other types of prevention screening for high-risk

individuals are prevented medications raloxifene and tamoxifen. Raloxifene and tamoxifen are

preventative medications as well as medications use to treat breast cancer. These medications are

used to reduce the development of breast cancer for high-risk individuals (Breast Cancer

Medications, n.d.- 6).

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Treatment Options and Implications

Recently there has been an overwhelming advancement in treatment options, previously

there were limited treatment options for individuals suffering from breast cancer, now treatment

can be tailored to meet the need of the individual. Different treatment options include combine

or adjunctive treatment for better treatment outcome. Types of combined or adjunctive treatment

include chemotherapy and surgery or hormonal therapy and radiation. Many healthcare

organizations utilize a treatment team composed of varies discipline. A typical treatment team

can be composed of a medical oncologist, surgical oncologist, radiation oncologist, dietician,

psychiatrist, oncology nurse, social worker, and pharmacist (Healthcare Team, n.d.)

Short-term and long-term implications from breast cancer treatment will vary. Some

short-term side effects of chemotherapy or radiation treatment include weight loss, hair loss,

increase fatigue, weakness, and mucositis. The long-term implication from radiation or

chemotherapy treatment includes blood clots, anemia, brittle bone and joints, bone and joint

pain, skin discoloration, neuropathy, seroma, lymphedema, and memory loss (Breast Cancer

Treatment, n.d.- 7).

Summary

Breast cancer is leading cancer among women, however, its mortality rate is secondary to lung

cancer among women. The advancement in healthcare and treatment has increased the rate of

survival, however approximately greater than 40,000 women die annually from breast cancer

(Cancer Statistics, n.d.). Preventative screening and early detection have helped to reduce the
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mortality and increase the rate of survival. Along with early detection and preventative

screening, new technology, medications, and surgical techniques have helped to improve the

percentage of survival. In the United States, there are greater than 3.5 million women survivors.

Despite the advancement in treatment disparities among ethnic groups remain, making the rate of

survival for African-American and Hispanics poor than Asian and Caucasian (Pietrangelo, 2017).
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References

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Breast Cancer. (2018, June 13). Retrieved August 2, 2018, from

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/risk_factors.htm

Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2018, from

https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects

Cancer Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2018, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-

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Health Care Team, Cancer. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2018, from

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your_health_care_team_your_doctor_is_only_the_beginning

Pietrangelo, A. (2017, October 16). Breast Cancer Survival Rate: Good News, Bad News.

Retrieved August 2, 2018, from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/breast-cancer-survival-

rate

Risk-Lowering Drugs. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2018, from

https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/RiskLoweringDrugs.html
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Types of breast cancer: Ductal carcinoma, inflammatory, metastatic and more | CTCA. (n.d.).

Retrieved August 2, 2018, from https://www.cancercenter.com/breast-cancer/types/

What Is Cancer? :: The National Breast Cancer Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved August 2, 2018, from

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/what-is-cancer