Liquid Biopsy in Breast Cancer, Research Paper Example

The abnormal growth of healthy cells in the breast results to breast cancer. Cancer of the breasts is the second killer out of all cancer types among women. A common sign of the cancer that calls for diagnosis is the presence of a breast lump. Breast cancer is more prevalent in women compared to men (Harbec et al. 2019). However, men should realize they are susceptible to breast cancer as women. The deadly nature of the disease necessitates understanding aspects such as symptoms, risk factors, causes, diagnosis, and prognostic factors, among others. Thus, this paper aims to examine these breast cancer aspects. These are important to develop preventive measures, including public awareness and early screening to allow for effective treatments.

As with all cancers, different people experience varying symptoms and indicators of breast cancer. Some individuals show no indications or symptoms at all. Lumps and thickening in the breast that appear different from adjacent tissue; the difference in the form, size or look of breasts; and skin changes on the breast such as dimpling are all indications of breast cancer. In addition, a recently inverted nipple, redness or pitting on the skin above, peeling, crusting, scaling, or flaking of the areola or breast skin are all indicators of breast cancer (Sharma et al. 2010).

Breast cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of breast cells (Harbec et al. 2019). Breast cancer cells multiply more rapidly than normal cells hence forming a tumor or lump. Breast cancer cells may metastasize to the lymph nodes and also other body parts via the lymphatic system. Since cells in the milk ducts are linked to invasive ductal carcinoma, they are frequently the source cancer of the breast. Other breast cancer forms including Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) may also arise in the glandular tissue known as lobules (Feng et al. 2018).

According to recent research, many variables contribute to a high risk of cancer of the breast. A woman’s risk is mostly influenced by her gender and the fact that she is growing older. Among women over the age of 50, breast cancer is the leading form of malignancy in the breast. Being a woman, getting older, being exposed to radiation, drinking alcohol, and being obese is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer (Sturkey, 2011). Anyone who has had a biopsy of the breast and had lobular carcinoma in place or typical breast hyperplasia identified has an elevated risk of developing cancer of the breast (Lewis et al. 2012). According to Filippini and Vega (2013), certain breast cancer-risk gene variants can be passed down across generations. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are two of the most probable gene mutations in the breast cancer field. These genes can boost an individual’s chance of breast cancer and other malignancies, but they do not make cancer inevitable. Another factor to consider is postmenopausal hormone therapy. Menopausal symptoms are exacerbated in women who take estrogen and progesterone-containing hormone treatment medicines (Sturkey, 2011). Women’s risk of developing breast cancer is reduced when they cease taking these drugs for the condition.

Diagnosis of the cancer requires extra tests. Doctors can do a breast ultrasound using a machine that employs sound waves in creation of images, known as sonograms, of the internal regions of the breast. Diagnostic mammography, a more comprehensive X-ray of the breast, is used to detect abnormalities such as tumors or any anomaly in the breast detected by a screening mammogram (Gøtzsche and Jørgensen, 2013). Breast MRI scans are also performed with the aid of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. This type of body scan utilizes a magnet coupled to a computer to identify abnormalities in the body. An MRI scan provides a close-up view of the breast’s interior (Jafari et al. 2018). During a breast biopsy, surgeons take small amounts of fluid or tissue from the breast for further examination. Biopsies come in a variety of forms, for instance, fine-needle aspiration, open biopsy, or core biopsy (Alimirzaie et al. 2019).

Following primary surgery, it has been discovered that a number of tumors and host features can be used to predict the likelihood of recurrence and death due to breast cancer. Tumor size and grade (histological or nuclear), vascular and lymphatic invasion and estrogen- and progesterone-receptor positivity are some of the most traditional prognostic variables used to assess the likelihood of recurrence or mortality due to breast cancer (Hayes, 2005).

Some of the most common locations for metastatic cancer to spread are through the internal mammary (IM), axillary and supraclavicular nodal groups of the lymphatic breast system. The bones, brain, lungs, and liver are the most common places where breast cancer metastasizes in the human body. Other body parts are also prone to metastasizing breast cancer (Steiner et al. 2018).

There are various methods to treat breast cancer.  The treatment relies on the form of the cancer and the degree of its spread. Many people diagnosed with breast cancer are treated with more than one type of therapy. In surgery, surgeons remove cancerous tissue. To kill or shrink cancerous cells, doctors turn to Chemotherapy. During Chemotherapy, medications may be administered orally or through intravenous means, or both (Giordano et al. 2005). Hormonal therapy aims at depriving cancer cells of the hormones needed for them to grow and multiply. By working with the patient’s immune system, biological therapy is able to help the patient’s body attack tumor cells while also reducing the negative effects of other cancer treatments. When high-energy rays (such as those from X-rays) are employed to kill cancer cells, this is referred to as radiation therapy (Giordano et al. 2005).

The Site-Specific-Data Item guide is the major source of information and coding guidelines for the data items of a specific site released in 2018. In 2018, schema ID was introduced to specify the appropriate SSDIs and grade tables for a given tumor. The grading would take place in relation to the histology, main site and, in some situations, extra information (Ruhl et al. 2019). The grading of schemas based on the histology or primary site helps in allocating relevant site-specific factors and constructing algorithms.

In summary, breast cancer usually occurs due to abnormality of the genes. Keeping a healthy body mass index, abstaining from smoking and alcohol intake, and consuming a well-balanced meal, and exercising regularly can help mitigate the risk of breast cancer. Educating people about breast cancer is crucial since early detection, often via screening, can show the disease at its most treatable stage.

References

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