Question

what causes breast cancer ? what causes breast cancer more in woman than man? what are the main prevention for breast cancer in woman? identify one educational approach that has been developed to address breast cancer? Please explain in 400 words

Answer 1

Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women. It's known that breast cancer occurs when some breast cells begin to grow abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do and continue to accumulate, forming a lump or mass. Cancer cells lost the ability to die and divide continuously. Breast cancer most often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts (invasive ductal carcinoma). Breast cancer may also begin in the glandular tissue called lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma) or in other cells or tissue within the breast. It's estimated that about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations passed through generations of a family.

A number of inherited mutated genes play an important role in breast cancer. The most well-known are breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), both of which significantly increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.

Besides family history and gene mutation there are lot of other factors that are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer include:

• Increasing age. Your risk of breast cancer increases as you age.
• Radiation exposure. If you received radiation treatments to your chest as a child or young adult, your risk of breast cancer is increased.
• Obesity. Being obese increases your risk of breast cancer.
• Beginning your period at a younger age. Beginning your period before age 12 increases your risk of breast cancer.
• Beginning menopause at an older age. If you began menopause at an older age, you're more likely to develop breast cancer.
• Having your first child at an older age. Women who give birth to their first child after age 30 may have an increased risk of breast cancer.
• Having never been pregnant. Women who have never been pregnant have a greater risk of breast cancer than do women who have had one or more pregnancies.
• Postmenopausal hormone therapy. Women who take hormone therapy medications that combine estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer decreases when women stop taking these medications.

Breast cancer more in woman than a man

Breast cancer is 100 times more common in women than in men.

As I have discussed the cause of breast cancer in females in the above answer. In the case of the male, there are only few factors that result in breast cancer. One of them is exposure to radiation. The other one is by the increase in level of estrogen hormone. Both these reasons are very rare to occur in males, thereby decreasing the risk of breast cancer in males.

Prevention of breast cancer

1. Keep Weight in Check

Being overweight can increase the risk of many different cancers, including breast cancer, especially after menopause.

2. Be Physically Active

Women who are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer. Regular exercise is also one of the best ways to help keep weight in check.

3. Eat Your Fruits & Vegetables – and Avoid Too Much Alcohol

A healthy diet including fruits and vegetables can help lower the risk of breast cancer. keep alcohol at moderate levels or lower (a drink a day or under).  While moderate drinking can be good for the heart in older adults, even low levels of intake can increase the risk of breast cancer.

4. Don’t Smoke

Smokers and non-smokers alike know how unhealthy smoking is.  On top of lowering the quality of life and increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and at least 15 cancers – including breast cancer – it also causes smelly breath, bad teeth, and wrinkles. Now that’s motivation to stay smoke-free or work to get smoke-free.

5. Breastfeed, If Possible

Breastfeeding for a total of one year or more (combined for all children) lowers the risk of breast cancer. It also has great health benefits for the child.

6. Avoid Post-Menopausal Hormones

Post-menopausal hormones have a mixed effect on health, increasing the risk of some diseases and lowering the risk of others, and both estrogen-only hormones and estrogen-plus-progestin hormones increase the risk of breast cancer.

Educational approach

One of the best approaches and awareness program is run by the WHO itself. WHO promotes breast cancer control within the context of comprehensive national cancer control programs. Raising general public awareness on the breast cancer problem and the mechanisms to control as well as advocating for appropriate policies and programs are key strategies of population-based breast cancer control.

A national cancer control program (NCCP) is a public health program designed to reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths and improve the quality of life of cancer patients. This is done by implementing systematic, equitable and evidence-based strategies for prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliation using available resources. No matter what resource constraints a country faces, when well-conceived and well-managed, an NCCP helps reduce the cancer burden and improve services for cancer patients and their families.

National cancer control plans should be goal-oriented, realistic, carefully prepared and appropriately funded through a participatory process in order to be effectively implemented. Cancer control planning requires accurate data, including reliable cancer registries and monitoring and evaluation programs to ensure programs are appropriately prioritized and to assure quality. (Source: WHO website).