Surgical Oncology is a subset of oncology that focuses on the surgical management of cancer. Though, it has not been ratified by a Board certification, this area of expertise is coming to its own by the success of combined treatment with chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted biological treatments. Through developing technology, such as the iKnife, surgery to target tumorous cells is becoming a necessary and popular field of medicine and is a very viable option for cancer procedures, both for treatment and prevention. This paper will explore the probability of a breast cancer patient undergoing more than one surgery given that surgery is the best treatment option. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the effectiveness and accuracy of breast cancer operations in completely eliminating tumorous cells based on size of tumor and location/accessibility. By no means is this a medically sponsored or medically recommended paper and the exploration should be read with this in mind.
As a cancer clinic volunteer, the daughter of an oncologist, the friend of a breast cancer survivor, and a biological enthusiast, I find the medical field of cancer and its impacts on health fascinating. The human body is so complex, yet, so fragile at the same time and I hope that through this exploration, I will witness how mathematics plays a role in science and more specifically physiology.
Background
Breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in Stage I and Stage II, where the size of the tumor is less than five centimeters in diameter. In these situations, surgery is often the second treatment option after chemotherapy and radiation therapy, both of which are used to shrink the tumor to a manageable size first. If the patient chooses to, the ...
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Nelson, H., Walker, M., Zackher, B., & Mitchell, J. (n.d.). Result Filters. National center for biotechnology information. Retrieved February 9, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?LinkName=pubmed_pubmed_pmh_cited&from_uid=15233153
...ves the entire breast and the nipple while leaving the pectoral muscles and axillary lymph nodes intact. This surgery has reduced the occurrence of breast cancer by 90%.
Major changes occur in a women's body especially to the breasts with age, significant weight reduction, childbirth, and breast feeding. Apart from affecting the self-confidence, large breast cause other physical discomforts in the form of neck and back pain. This procedure is useful in reconstituting the breast configuration in women who have undergone Mastectomy to remove breast, mostly due to cancer. The breast formation may either involve implants or tissues from other parts of the body such as back or lower abdomen. Reconstruction of nipple and areola may be done to regain the natural appearance and confidence. The firmness and round contour of the breast can be restored by breast reduction surgery. Often, some women feel the size of their breast is too small. Some people desire for augmentation surgery after breast changes due to pregnancy, while others wish to correct the asymmetry in the size of the breast. In all these cases, it is possible to peerform breast enhancement surgery.
Schulman, Joshua M., and David E. Fisher. "Abstract." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 28 Aug. 0005. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Over the past decade breast cancer has become one of the most predominant diseases in the United States. Breast cancer starts out as a malignant tumor in the tissues of the breast which is formed from the uncontrolled growth of abnormal breast cells. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can also appear in men. (Stephan, 2010)
Today in the United States, Breast Cancer occurs in about one in eight women which is currently the most common cancer among women. The number of cases is expected to decrease due to the advancements in technology and dedicated researchers. Scientists have put an estimated 4.8 billion dollars towards the research every year to help find a cure or a new treatment for breast cancer ("STAT Facts Breast Cancer"). Researchers have found causes, put in research and theories that help with understanding treatments, prevention and also common symptoms and coping mechanisms.
"Result Filters." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
There are two main categories of breast cancer, carcinomas and sarcomas. They have different origin, carcinomas arise from epithelial lining of the duct which carries milk from breast lobules to nipple. They are the most common type of human breast cancer and they can spread easily to surrounding tissues though blood and lymph. Whereas, sarcomas is the rare type of breast cancer and it originate from connective tissues and fatty substances around the ducts and lymphatic vessels called stroma Management of these two types of breast cancer relies on early diagnosis. In clinical settings physicians use cancer grading method during breast cancer diagnosis, which allows them to choose the right treatment plan for their patients. In general, there are three levels of grading, grade-I cancer cells resemble normal cell growth and have steady growth speed, grade-2 cancer cells appear to be different from normal cells and they divide faster than normal cells and grade-3 cancer cells identifies the fastest growing tumors that look completely different from the normal cells (Veer 2002). Thus, cancer with highest grading appears aggressive and divides more than lower grade cancer cells. Now we know the three level of breast cancer, let’s see different grading
Once a doctor has determined you have a malignant tumor, he or she will like to know how far the cancer has progressed and it is very important. Stage 1 is the less invasive and usually detects that cancer cell have just begun to invade the tissue. Stage 2 is invasive and there is cancer in the axillary lymph nodes or in the breast, also a small tumor. Stage 3 is invasive, and you will likely have a bigger tumor or cancer has spread to the lymph nodes of the breast and axillary. Lastly, stage 5 which Breastcancer.org describes as invasive breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other organs of the body, such as the lungs, distant lymph nodes, skin, bones, liver, or brain.
National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 May 2013. Web. 17 Sept.
I developed a strong interest in the subject impressed by the clever dynamics of this disease but have seen my close ones suffering from it with even losing one of my best friends. However, understanding cancer mechanisms don’t help to console for a loss. Nevertheless, I strongly believe thoughts become things. I find a potential researcher in myself capable of contributing to the cancer research through my strong ability and passion. “The important thing is not to stop questioning.
I admire surgery, but also recognize that it is not surgery on its own that continues to improve lives. My neighbor, who is a breast
According to the Oncology Nursing Society, “Breast cancer is the second most prevalent type of cancer in the world, with more than one million new cases of breast cancer diagnosed every year.” Breast cancer can arise from two components, the breast lobules or the ducts. The ducts are defined as milk passages that connect the lobules and the nipple. The lobule is the milk producing gland within the breast. Breast cancers may be located within the duct, or protrude through the duct wall. Breast cancer can be categorized by pathology: noninvasive and invasive, ductal and lobular. Inflammatory breast cancer is an aggressive and fast growing cancer involving the lymphatic system. As the disease progresses, lymph channels within the skin become blocked
One out of every eight women in the US is diagnosed with breast cancer every year. As the number of breast cancer patients increases year after year, identification methods and treatments are beginning to advance. When women get older, their chances of developing breast cancer increases. In fact, 80% of all breast cancer patients are women ages 50 and up. The tumor is discovered through either mammography or self-breast examinations. Through these methods, doctors are able to discover the tumor and decide on what treatment is right for each patient. When it comes to treating breast cancer there are multiple treatment options; the type and severity of the cancer help the doctor decide the optimal treatment plan for each
...ional Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 24 Jan. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.