research paper 2012

Running head: THE TRIALS OF BREAST CANCER 1
The Trials of Breast Cancer
Through Risk, Stage, and Treatment
Samara J. Heller
California Baptist University

2
Running head: THE TRIALS OF BREAST CANCER
Abstract
The list of common factors affecting the likelihood of contracting breast cancer seems to
fluctuate on a daily basis. Not only is environment a factor, but so is occupation. It is not merely
enough to have a family history of breast cancer, but the proliferative status of specified genes
are also more likely to be from inherent mutations. As more common practices are coerced into
the workings of the list, it becomes ever more apparent how valuable accurate information truly
is. The synopsis of risk factors provided includes those recognized by researchers and others
still seeking the infamy of being labeled an actual “risk;” ascending them to circulate amongst
the various stages. The stages of breast cancer are not merely based on numerical measures.
Yes, numbers are provided allotting to the probability of survival, but it is not a matter of
assessment upon appearance. A thorough investigation is taken underway to determine the
size of the tumor, rate of metastases, and whether or not this metastasis has reached the lymph
nodes. The stages provided are dissections of the American Joint Committee on Cancer
Staging and End-Results Reporting. The uniform system suffered intense scrutiny after current
technological advances and underwent further discriminations, specifically in determining breast
cancer stages. As with treatments, there is no possibility of a “cure-all” component to end breast
cancer. There is only the hope of further advancement in the near future to defeat renewed
mutations. Breast cancer has no guarantees.

3
The Trials of Breast Cancer
Through Risk, Stage, and Treatment
Devastation does not end nor begin at a specific point of origin. Stages of depthless
despair are not limited to designated time slots; their characteristics not set by time. Stages
decipher mutations, fiddling with the lid of Pandora`s Box until they are unpredictable, only to be
understood at the last instant possible, on the brink of destruction. Devastation targets all, not
merely the sick and feeble but the healthy and strong. It is a festering sore that reopens
consequently due to unexpected twists in life. These twists are unavoidable; they are the
journey of life and meant to be of spontaneity. Thus, the stages bind themselves to devastation
in grotesque arrangements to become intertwined with lapses of undesirable fate. This marks
the platform of the end, the setting of brutality to maim those unfortunate enough to reach it.
Finally the grotesque arrangements are identifiable in their mocking clutches as the end draws
nearer. A single word is whispered, the raw clarity seething: cancer. Cancer is the end. It is the
common societal problem thousands face in solitude, terminating lives of those it touches. The
cruelties of different types of cancer are more visceral and clouded, their effects whittled into
effective information only by the accidental discoveries of new mutations. Procreation is
seemingly linked to commonalities of all aspects of life, thrusting the few aware of certain origins
into that of a feverish panic. Age causes cancer, weight causes cancer, life itself causes cancer;
sacredness is forgotten as the enjoyment of any and everything become suspicious. Specifying
the cancer alleviates no ounce of pain as the disease then changes to reality. Breast cancer is
one of the most common types of cancer among women and needs to be examined with further
clarity. The stages of breast cancer vary in individuals, but offer certain similarities as to mark
the degree of pestilence the cancer currently holds. Breast cancer is not the factor of one
miniscule cause found in apparitional figures, instead it profusely attaches to all, reiterating that
it is a result of multiple variables present in almost everyone and not of a single-point

4
origination. The stages offer a small token of comfort as they determine the depth the cancer
has already reached. They seem to be the single, definite point in the spirals of chaos; an
affirmation if the point of termination is yet to be reached. Despite the hopelessness, there are
ways to abate the terminals effects of breast cancer. Treatments have arisen from the ashes to
aid those with diminishing survival chances. The treatment type is fitted to benefit that of the
individual and vary in courses of action. The far-reaching projections of cancer pervade, but
glimmers of hope still exist. As more is uncovered, the panic of knowing dwindles, only to
morph to a knowing of righteousness. Another word is whispered, a word of comfort: treatment.
Breast cancer strikes sinking fear upon contact as it is proven to be of multiple origins and
multiple stages, but there is also a new hope surmising as more treatments are discovered.
Breast cancer is multi-faced; breast cancer is multi-forced; breast cancer has multi treatments;
breast cancer is the end; breast cancer is the beginning.
A Synopsis of Risk Factors
Breast cancer begins not at the single drop of a mutinous gene, but at the downpour of
various defecations. It is impossible to isolate a singular cause in determining the possibility of
contracting breast cancer. As noted in a study conducted by Jane Ding and associates, the
very measurable density of breasts is a means to be infiltrated by breast cancer. Density is a
result of estrogen, a hormone necessary for the proper functioning of women of all shapes and
sizes. And with higher mammographic density, “…[comes] greater risk of developing interval
cancers that are ER [estrogen receptor] positive” (Ding et. al, 2010, p. 287).This is not to say
density is the only influence of breast cancer or that the disease is any less contained rather
that “with industrialization and urban development, delayed or reduced fertility, increased
longevity and altered lifestyle, the incidence of BC [breast cancer] is rising steadily” (Qiu et. al,
2012, p. 3). The continual discovery of more causes of breast cancer reiterates that “there are
too many risk factors putting women at high risk for breast cancer” for a single commonality to
be isolated; there is no “cure-all” treatment to be expected as streams of causes seek to reach

5
that infamous identification (Jeannine Loucks, Email Communication. November 30, 2012).
With suspicions arising against the very essence of household objects, soon all containers
marked with difficult pronunciations will become yet another cause. As all seem susceptible to
cause some degree towards that of inherent disease, the lust for more known causes of breast
cancer pervades. The BRCA1 gene falls into an elusiveness, percolating human nature to
conclude it as a new risk. BRCA1 is found on chromosome 17q21 and usually “prevent[s]
cancer by making proteins that keep cells from mutating and growing abnormally” (Fortenbaugh
et. al, 2012, p. 41). BRCA1 “usually” halts the growth of cancerous cells, “usually.” When
BRCA1 implodes with numerous mutations, it results in botched mammographic screenings and
a faster growth rate of cells. The dependence of this occurring is based on inherent means. In
the case of botched mammograms, the accelerated rate of cell growth can be linked to
cancerous tumors being “more likely to escape mammographic detection,” requiring not only
caution at screenings but less time between them (Stratton, 1997, p. 1509). Not only is
biological framework an aspect contributing to breast cancer, but so is the very tissue that
constitutes it. There is no guarantee of sanctity with fattier breasts, but it has not yet been
declared a possible cause. That is not the case with IGF-2.
When all manner of visceral figures are asserted as causes, it is not enough to be
aware of those causes most circulated. The tissue of breasts contemplates cancer as does
BRCA1. Density of breasts is a spectrum many fall under and with this circumstance, the
possibility of tumors being masked arises “causing delay in diagnosis which leads to identifying
tumors with poorer prognosis” (Ding, 2010, p. 279). BRCA1 mutations are hereditary and found
throughout the bodies of all on designated chromosomes. They seem mocking in a purpose of
bittersweet usefulness as they are prone to a deviation of tactics based on family history.
Density cannot be set under designated diagnosis. In order to fully assess the likelihood of
density as an adverse sign of breast cancer contraction, the histological aspects of tumors need
to be first examined. Similarly, the insulin expression IGF-2 is a factor easily skewed adversely

6
in individuals. The IGF system consists of protein receptors in the plasma membrane that act as
regulators of the life cycle of tumors, including both IGF-1 and IGF-2 (Qiu, 2012, p. 5). IGF-1 is
“significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer,” while the other receptors of the
system are more vague as to the true extent of association with breast cancer (Qiu, 2012, p. 5).
A constant maintenance of the body is required, seeming that every sudden escalation of
hormonal levels or shift in breast consistency can prove to be a means of fatality. The
microcosm of breast cancer truly is that “there are no guarantees regarding breast cancer”
(Jeannine Loucks. Email Communication. November 30 2012). The causes of breast cancer are
subject to delegations demanded by the body itself, not a mental capacity humans are capable
of managing, especially when risks classified as “factors” constantly evolve to degrees of
maddening commonality. The IGF system is found in all, BRCA1 is found in all, breast tissue is
found in all, breast cancer is clearly not meant to be seen as a result of solo creation.
With cancers arising from the commonality of genes and hormonal levels, a tangibility
coerces with individuals. A sudden realization sparks a cry of denial and then acceptance; it is
possible that they could be subject to become infected. Cancer surrounds the aura of all
individuals, constantly straining to pierce through the light symbolizing their humanity. “Many
women with breast cancer have no known risk factors other than being female and aging,” and
yet they still suffer the ailments when their risk is not that of a hereditary fashion or hormonal
influx (Fortenbaugh, 2012, p. 41). The glory of raging battle against the disease dwindles as it
seems promises of being redeemed through curable risks are of endless boundaries. All seem
subject to suffer. Unfurling the correlation between breast cancer and IGF-1 was a chaotic
outcry of how little is truly known regarding the instigation of breast cancer. The system lacked a
conscience as shadows projected into all aspects of the system. IGF-2 further illuminated the
necessary research required to alleviate the prevalence of this disease. The total repercussions
of the IGF-2 factor are still not altogether known. Not only are insulin-like factors a culprit
ravaging the balance but so are BRCA1 and BRCA2. “Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2

7
together account for about 80% of families with four or more cases of breast cancer diagnosed
in patients younger than 60 years” (Stratton, 1997, p. 1505). BRCA2 is another inherent gene
found on chromosome 13q12-q13 and is not as noticeably contributing to the rise in breast
cancer as BRCA1 but is still found to affect the “formation of tissue architecture and, perhaps,
abnormalities of a structural protein involved in cell-cell and cell-stroma interactions” (Stratton,
1997, p. 1509). As breast cancer is examined more thoroughly, more contributions are
attributed to its initiation, thus the despair escalates as more origins arise. Breast cancer
presently favors the side of an ending installment to the delicate structure of the body.
Breasts are composed of a specific arrangement, not merely tissue types but that of
ducts and glands. As noted earlier with all areas of the body, abnormalities can arise within this
arrangement, leading again to another contribution to the contraction of breast cancer. The
layout of breasts is as follows: they are lined with a tissue made of glands, these glands are
called lobules, which create milk and connect via ducts to the nipple (Fortenbaugh, 2012, p. 41).
When these cells creep into layers other than where they are functionally meant to be, particular
types of cancers arise. The proliferation of cells is also linked to the insulin receptor system as it
is “expressed by both breast tumors and cultured breast cancer cells” (Qiu, 2012, p. 6). As the
transcription of IGF-2 is linked to ER, it can also be the forefront determinant in the severity of
the cancer. ER is used to properly depict prognosis to patients and it is a set expectation of the
physician to “provide them with as much accurate information regarding breast CA and
treatment options before making any decisions“ (Jeannine Loucks. Email Communication.
November 30, 2012). Specific hormonal levels are a requirement when mentioning ER as “ER-
and PR [Progesterone]-negative tumors are generally associated with a less favorable
prognosis” and as the status of estrogen receptors correlates to levels of breast cancer in breast
tissue, IGF-2 can be viewed as another determinant of operative treatment (Fortenbaugh, 2012,
p. 44).The scathing features of breast cancer can be linked by explicit regulatory hormones
found in the body. Perhaps, it is one of the few linkages between causes of the cancer. Each

8
risk follows an equation: a purpose meant to aid the body in routine, then suddenly the purpose
is skewed and consequences ensue. A tumor may be hidden, a cell multiplied at an
astronomical rate, or generational DNA seamlessly migrated to a mutation. The body is
mysterious in its handlings of normalcy, but fate contorts itself and fortune is wooed by no
individual. The causes of breast cancer continue to evolve and increase in number.
Most Commonly Regarded Risk Factors
It cannot be asked for every cause of breast cancer to be known. New sources continue
to rise, polluting the thought of an end-all cure materializing. The only comfort is the factors that
remain constant throughout spans of research. These are the ones withstanding the droning of
new interruptions, gaining world recognition. True, it is not enough to know these factors, but in
a sinking mass of piling information they provide the small solace of being informed; a thin veil
of protection. The miniscule sect of renowned factors include: age, family history, race and
ethnicity, personal history, dense breast tissue, proliferative breast lesions, hormonal factors,
obesity, alcohol consumption, physical activity, environmental status, and a history of chest
radiation (Fortenbaugh, 2012, p. 41). Most of these factors can be held in equal regard besides
age; “age is the single most important risk factor for breast cancer” (Fortenbaugh, 2012, p. 41).
Obesity not only plays a role in overall mentality and health status, but is noted as having effects
on estrogen, by increasing the levels. In a flurry of unknowns, some guarantees are esteemed
for their clarity. The possibilities of the means to which breast cancer is contracted continue to
narrow, but as the sieve filtering the estimated causes constantly overloads, the error of its
filtration power also becomes prevalent. Life is a factor of breast cancer and sudden “changes
have an effect on the risk of developing breast cancer” (Qiu, 2012, p. 4). Breast cancer is a
result of multiple factors and some will forever be inscribed as a risk while others will be
heralded as thus generation by generation. Breast cancer has found its beginning.
A Synopsis of Stages

9
It is important to sense that cancer does not deviate from any one individual. In a
pessimistic festering mindset, cancer will eventually grapple with every person`s internal will.
There is no escape route, no melody-sodden fork in the road; humans similar to every aspect of
you will become infected. No foreign land exists where the disease isolates itself over the
dilapidated population, cancer is worldly and as much a piece of life as is the joy of witnessing
the renewing sunrise. The sun may renew still as treatments continue to rise through
technological advances. A uniform staging system was developed in 1959 to distinguish the
stages of all cancers, not merely breast. This system grew outdated and the characteristics of
the system advanced. Tumors were able to be detected at more minute stages “with the
increasing use of screening mammography” (804). Detecting a smaller-sized tumor did not
necessarily mean the tumors were less malignant, only that they were able to be classified at
lower levels. Tumors being detected at less-advanced stages shed the weight of being in
cohorts with axillary lymph node metastases. The treatment type for removing cancerous lymph
nodes morphed into that of less damaging conclusions where “complete dissection of the
remaining nodes may not be necessary” (805). In this case, only one or two lymph nodes are
removed and minute lesions are more likely to be detected. The last adaption of the staging
system is the inclusion of the number of axillary lymph nodes affected. Not only does the system
focus on prognostic factors including recurrence and metastasis, but now it vocalizes the
importance of predictive factors, meaning the effects of treatment (Singletary et. al, 2003, p.
805). Adaption has thrust this generation further in advancement than any predecessor, and
change is still to come. For the time being, the stages of breast cancer are devised by
designated characteristics only feasible through the innovative treatments of today. Breast
cancer stage determinants are not a product of instant gratification, rather they require
extensive biopsies straining the lives of those infiltrated. Agonizing trial periods await many as
they contemplate the severity of their diagnosis. Not all stages are created equal. Breast cancer

10
is designated into broad numerical stages based on survival likelihood: “stage 0 is a
premalignant disease or marker, sometimes called DCIS or Ductual Carcinoma in Situ; stages
1-3 are defined as early cancer and potentially curable; stage 4 is defined as advanced and/or
metastatic cancer and incurable” (González-Solís et. al, 2011, p. 34). It is not merely a manner
of depositing victims into classes based on outward toll the cancer has taken on them. First, the
histological aspect of the tumors needs to be assessed, often through the TNM technique. The
TNM classification sect is based on three aspects: “tumor size, the presence of nodal
metastasis, and the presence of distant metastasis,” ensuring all fibers of present lumps
undergo inspections of equal measure (Singletary, 2003, p. 805). Stage numbers seem only to
aid those “labeled” of a lower caliber. To receive greater values is the epitome of desperation as
survival is dashed to a pulp. The greater the stage number, the larger the size of the tumor, the
larger the size of the tumor, the larger the rate of fatality grows. Breast cancer is the beginning.
Breast cancer is the end.
The answers after diagnosis do not suddenly promote leaps and bounds of joy,
determining a numerical value is the mere tipping point of initial prognosis. A number is not a life
sentence, a physician opinion is not the will of God, it is up to the individual to grapple the
collapsing physicality of their life in order to receive “a complete evaluation and metastatic
workup […] to determine the stage and the best treatment options” (Fortenbaugh, 2012, p. 44).
The need to seek professional help is prevalent, but it is to benefit the victim. The results of life
are not always favorable as twists and turns reap the desired paths before individuals have the
chance; it is admirable to seek a supportive system through proper diagnosis. Test results are
most accurate in that of a clinical setting and “commonly diagnosed using a triple test of clinical
breast examination,” assessment by physician, mammogram, or fine needle aspiration cytology
(González-Solís, 2011, p. 34). Fine needle aspiration is sampling a small amount of fluid from
whatever lump or mass has been discovered and seeing whether the resulting fluid is clear or
bloody. Bloody fluid is a sign further testing is required. The evaluation to determine stage

11
seems destructive in its ability to maim the essence of a woman. The introduction of Raman
spectroscopy aims to defer from damaging tissue. This technique is able to distinguish the
individual molecules based “on the measurement of the vibrational energy levels of chemical
bonds” found within the samples (González-Solís, 2011, p. 34). Therefore, it is able to
determine the stage based on different biomolecules present in a nondestructive manner. As
numbers assigned appear to the victims to be as randomized and similar to the fashion of that
of pull-out machine at a meat counter, it is clear the acceptance of the number is beneficial. A
proper assessment disquiets the uncertainty a patient encounters, as it is realized they are in
charge of their fate. The screenings prove the beginnings as the size of tumors are further
evaluated.
Size as Regarded in Stages
Size is propositioned to be of no extensive value in the onslaught of human appearance.
Bigger is of no context as it perforates through the average equations currently set by today`s
standards; the cliché “bigger is better” festers across the dinner tables of all households and
settles in the minds of youths as acceptable. Appearances correlate to everything as cancer is a
measurable feat of size. Due to the increase in technological advances, cancerous tumors are
now detected at a size that is significantly smaller than predecessors. The term coined to
describe the size of tumors in general morphed to the negotiable “micrometastases;” a sufficient
word of comfort as the uniform system to describe breast cancer stages forsook the larger
diameter of before. Micrometastases are now defined as “lesions larger than 0.2 mm in
diameter but no larger than 2.0 mm in diameter.” Size and size alone is an ultimatum to set the
stage. Not only does survival rate decrease with tumors of vaster size, but so does recurrence.
“Larger tumors are generally associated with a greater likelihood of recurrence” and breast
cancer seems to be proof of an end to all (Fortenbaugh, 2012, p. 44). As numbers flitter through
worm holes of numerical values, some rise, some fall, others soar; it does not truly seem to
matter as they all pave an ending route. Size is significant.

12
Deception is evident in not only the changing classifications of breast cancer stages, but
in the dissection of the name itself. Tumors are not confined to the content of breast tissue, they
are prone to metastasize to other areas. The cancerous cells of breast cancer often metastasize
to the lymph nodes and then face further degree of discrimination. Despite the location of the
affected lymph nodes, it must measure greater than 2.0 mm in diameter. “Lymph nodes” are a
general description of a vast section of the body. There are four distinctive types of lymph nodes
used to classify stages in breast cancer including: axillary, infraclavicular, internal mammary,
and supraclavicular lymph nodes. Axillary metastasis is based on whether the victim has 1 to 3
positive nodes or 4. This explicitly allows the prognosis to be named as a result of the node,
shown as “N” in the victims grouping section. There is no possibility of destruction as not only is
a stage pronounced, but the node, the essential “everything” of the breast, is guilty of treason in
its retention of cancer. After testing, it is validated whether the patient has 1 to 3 nodes and can
then be classified as pN1a, or 4 to 9 making them a pN2a while “10 or more positive axillary
nodes are classified as pN3a” (Singletary, 2011, p. 812). Infraclavicular lymph nodes are of low
caliber as they seek to absorb life from those they clutch. They lead to poor prognosis and are
now classified as N3a. The prognosis of internal mammary nodes varies with the degree of size.
A miscible tumor hidden beneath succulent tissue professes a higher survival rate than tumors
of visibility. They are designated as N1, N2, or N3. As with the finality resonating with the
assertion of a stage 4 patient, supraclavicular lymph node metastasis signals an end. Cell
proliferation to these lymph nodes falls into the category of which “distant metastases to the
bone, lung, or brain” are placed (814). Treatment is not viable as the reapers of deaths can only
be abated for so long, it is of a kinder nature to welcome them in. As with all features, some
prove more promising than others. Lymph nodes allow for further classification, some even
promoting the means to an end. Breast cancer seems to be an eminent end for most.
Life is a continuous cycle, bearing its own beating heart. Some stages prove more trying
than others, but joys arise alongside the straining times. There is a lesson to be learned in turn

13
from each cycle as one surpasses the other. The classifications of breast cancer have
advanced farther than any generation before, with more discriminatory measures still to be
made. It is a time to visualize the reaches of the future and further treatments it promises. Death
is not signified by every stage. Death is signified by the decisions of tumor nature. Some liven
themselves through the metastasis to detrimental areas, while others are content to reside in
smaller quantity. Regardless of their location remember it is in the best interest of all to set size
at a par above the rest. Size matters.
A Synopsis of Treatment
Hope is the separating aspect between humans and other denizens of the mammal
populace. Hope forecasts goals, needs, and wants. Hope signifies the possibility of better days,
of a life where positivity reigns. Perhaps, even a life without doubts and fickle, selfish miscreants
tainting the streets; hope restores. Without hope humanity is doomed to a life of repetitious
nature; a life of fear and undesirable outcomes. Without hope, there is no treatment for cancer.
Hope promises that even if the treatment does not fully extend to the point of recovery, there is
a chance that it will work. Hope makes that chance worth risking. Treatments are available and
they are fitted to best suit victims. Every victim is a finger-print worth protecting and treatments
are customizable based on strength and quality of life the victim is seeking. There is no set
treatment and options continue to expand. Hope needs a renewed strength beside the ever-
increasing pile of causes. Treatments exist and are tangible, as much so as the degradation
power of cancerous stages. When all hope is lost, realize the struggle is not one worth fighting
in solitude. A treatment is out there.
Treatments, much like stages are discriminatory in their classifications. There are two
categories treatments are subdivided into: local or systemic therapy. Local therapy removes the
cancer from the area it is discovered in. Systemic therapies are treatments not isolated in a
small part of the body, but move through its entirety. This type of therapy may include some

14
drug types. Treatments vary in their title branches as well. Options for treatment are available
through surgical, clinical, or therapy means and are determined more often than not based on
stage. In other cases, it has been seen as advantageous to incorporate mammography and
adjuvant treatments together to lower mortality rate. Adjuvant treatment refers to treatments
used when it is feasible that a recurrence may happen after surgery. Research has recently
proven that “mammography screening, adjuvant treatments and other factors have played an
important role in the decline of BC mortality” (Vilaprinyo et. al, 2012, p. 7). When it comes to the
specificity of stages, the California Department of Public Health has noted that treatments are
often in combination with one another and resort to a mastectomy as the last option possible.
When dealing with the treatment for stage 4 of breast cancer, it is referred to as “treatments that
can slow its growth and relieve symptoms” (2010, p. 25), but not as the pathway to a cure.
Surgery is destructive in its nature of protection, but the amount removed is not in
excess. As with breast-conserving surgery, only a small amount of normal tissue is removed
that is nonmalignant; while a mastectomy is not for a faint heart. A massive mound constituting
most of the construction of the breast is removed, in an attempt to rid the tissue of cancer. A
mastectomy is a cruelty unheard of in its finality. There is no “part” taken from the breast, it can
only be seen as a surgery “that removes the whole breast in order to treat the breast cancer” as
noted by the California Department of Public Health (2010, p. 13). The disquiet surrounding the
removal of an entire breast is not a mark of vanity. Reconstruction is available afterwards in
attempt to yield a familiar mass, but it is never the same. The feel is of a foreign composition,
and this new conception is attached to your body. Margaret W. Smith sought the minimal
comfort of a double mastectomy, as she had a strong probability in developing breast cancer as
a result of a BRCA2 mutation. With the invigorating need to watch her daughter grow, she
decided “to take control of [her] health and [her] life” and soon after underwent surgery
(Buchanan, 2012, p. 110). Breast cancer threatens to wreak damage not only on physicality, but

15
through mentality coexisting in appearance. There is hope besides current treatments, as more
continue to be developed.
Specifications of Treatment
Not only are treatments available in the early onslaught of cancer, but also as follow-ups
to make sure there are no remaining metastases. Various therapies exist to ease the rising fear
of cancer recurrence. Radiation therapy is often used in this manner. There are two bilayers to
radiation that fall under the context of a “local therapy used to destroy cancer cells that may
have been left behind after surgery,” presented under external and internal radiation therapy
(California Department of Public Health, 2010, p. 16). External is powered out of the body after
a high-energy beam of radiation has been concentrated in parts of the breast and lymph nodes.
Internal localizes radiation in the body in amounts designated by a physician. Chemotherapy
reprises itself on cinematic screens as the culprit of harsh, cancerous realities. In its infamy, the
logic of its purpose is forsaken as that of villainy. Despite the fear aroused with the promise of a
recovery set by chemotherapy, it is still in use today. Through the use of drugs, chemotherapy
provides the shriveling likelihood of recurrence and spread of cancer. The technicality of
chemotherapy is set in one of two ways based on the time it is used. It may either by adjuvant or
neoadjuvant, meaning it is used before (adjuvant) or after (neoadjuvant) surgery. The
combination of mammography and adjuvant therapy has been linked to “reduction in BC
mortality in Western Countries […] and to improved quality of care” (Vilaprinyo, 2012, p. 1).
Some treatments such as hormonal therapy are dependent not only on the type of cancer but
the amount of hormones in the body. This type of therapy consists of different types and works
in the manner of blocking or lowering the effects of hormones, dependent on their effect of the
cancer. One type of hormonal therapy is Tamoxifen that “works to stop or slow cancer by
blocking the effect of hormones on cancer cells” (California Department of Public Health, 2010,
p. 19). The other types of hormonal therapies are of milder side effects and of a newer standard.

16
Raloxifene prevents breast cancer, meaning it is not an explicitly identified as a treatment, and
Aromatase inhibitors lower the hormones of the body. All treatments would not be possible if not
for clinical trials. Clinical trials are the foundation of cures as they “find better and safer ways to
prevent, detect, diagnose and treat disease” (California Department of Public Health, 2010, p.
22). The benefits of joining a clinical trial reciprocate to more than one patient, it aides a
foundational component of family. Do all to make the journey bearable. As the evolution of
cancer is constant, the rise of new therapies continues. Some treatments are not recognized as
medicinal, but seem to benefit that one individual`s comfort. Treatment is dependent on the
patient, not the say of society ignorant to the multiple routes. Consider the treatment lesser
known by the prying eyes of the public and be free to live the life the treatment allots. Hope
separates the survivors from the fallen. Breast cancer is the beginning.
Conclusion
The facets of breast cancer hold the souls of all they touch, clutching feverishly in an
attempt to rule from the very bowels of a victim`s life. Despair remains dark in many, but in
others the light of hope erodes the darkness. Yes, the factors contributing to breast cancer
continue to grow, their fascination with random paraphernalia evident as risks reach levels of
commonality, but research is constantly conducted. If there were ever to be a discovery of
ceaseless breast cancer, it would be now. The stages of breast cancer are putrid in their
reigning conclusions of patients, quickly deciding a possibility of survival. The numerical values
are designated to determine the best treatment types, and are never an eminent life sentence.
Breast cancer is beatable as treatments prove to be an unwavering phoenix, rising from the
fallings of one victim only to benefit another. Their numbers grow with increasing fervor
alongside the tide of new risk factors. Breast cancer is the end of life, but it proves to serve as a
new beginning. Breast cancer is finally the beginning.

research paper 2012

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