Environmental Factors in Breast Cancer

Researchers from Harvard University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University of Southern California, along with the Silent Spring Institute, collected and assessed existing scientific reports of breast cancer and environmental pollutants, diet, body size, and physical activity. Also reviewed were animal studies that identify chemicals as potential mammary carcinogens. The study findings were released in the online version of the American Cancer Society's scientific journal, Cancer (From Associated Content).

The free, searchable database reveals that exposure to potential breast cancer-causing agents is widespread from chemicals used in consumer products, food, women's workplaces, and in air and water pollution. The database includes references to 900 studies of which 460 are human breast cancer studies. The researchers stressed that 29 of the potential cancer-causing carcinogens are found in massive amounts in the U.S., but little is known yet about their effects on human health.

Breast Cancer in Males

Introduction

Most of the men thought that breast cancer only affects women and not men. They accept it as a truth that they are not at the risk of getting breast cancer. But this is not true; men are also at the risk of developing breast cancer. The main symptoms and signs of male breast cancer are given below.

Signs and symptoms

Breast lumps, swelling, dimpling around the breast area, nipple retraction, redness, scaling and nipple discharge are the main symptoms of breast cancer among males. The breast mass in men is much less than the women have, so in males breast cancer can easily affect the closer tissues than in females. That’s why these symptoms in males need not to ignore as these breast cancer in more dangerous in males than the females.

Risk factors

In the age of 60 men is more likely to develop breast cancer, so the main risk factor is advanced age. The other well-known risk factor is the family history. Liver disease can reduce the levels of androgen and can raise the levels of estrogen in males that make men more prone to the disease. Exposure to radiation can also develop breast cancer. Genetic mutations like Kleinfelters syndrome can also develop breast cancer in men.

Diagnosis

Screening mammograms are simply x-rays of each breast. The breast is placed between two plates for a few seconds while the x-rays are taken. If something appears abnormal, or better views are needed, magnified views or specially angled films are taken during the mammogram. There are some experimental screening modalities that are currently being studied. These include MRI, ductal lavage, ultrasound, optical tomography, PET scan, and digital mammograms. Depending on the results of the mammograms and/or ultrasounds, your doctors may recommend that you get a biopsy.

Treatment

There are a number of options available to men with regard to the treatment of breast cancer like surgery (modified mastectomy), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. The survival rates for the males with breast cancer are similar to that of females with breast cancer. So men should be made mentally prepared about the fact that breast cancer can also affect them. So males need to examine regularly for the breast cancer in advanced age.

Breasts Cancer And Smoker Adolescent

According to Dr Janet E Olson from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester Minnesota (the USA) the risk of breast cancer begun during the female adolescent broke to smoke or not. Woman who smoke in the adolescent are at more risk of developing breast cancer. According to another research women who began smoking before the first pregnancy are at more risk of breast cancer after the menopause than women who began smoking after the first pregnancy.

Researches like adolescent women who smoke regularly can develop or they are at more risk of developing cancer, are factual and not only the gossips. This is because a women who has undergone one pregnancy, is in the close connection with the development of the breast as a women serve her baby with her milk, and hence is at less risk of developing breast cancer if they start smoking after one pregnancy. On the other hand a smoker adolescent women or a women who has postponed first pregnancy is more at breast cancer risk, as she has to develop breasts.

Dr Olson and the team carried out investigation on a range of the women aged 55 till 69 years during 1986 and afterwards were followed to 1999. On the whole 37.105 women it was identified were risky breasts cancer including 7.095 women who began smoked before they experienced first pregnancy. At the same time 4.186 among them smoked after first pregnancy. 2.017 women are affected by breast cancer during the study period. A woman who has smoked before the first pregnancy is at 21% more risk of developing breast cancer than a woman who had not smoked. Women who began smoked after giving birth first will enter the healthy category.

Main reasons for cancer

DR. Warburg thought that the people are looking for the causes of cancer from decades and I will explain the basic or primary cause of cancer so that people will identify and understand the secondary causes of cancer.

Lack of oxygen or de-oxygenation is the primary cause of cancer. Some people become cancerous in twenties of cigarette smoking while other smoke for eighties and remain healthy. This is because smoking lower down the oxygen level and body cells try to mutate to live in the abnormal state and as a consequence the cells may die or they adapt to survive. “Most of North Americans and Europeans sustain in this type of abnormal state”. Cells mutate to become cancerous or deadly in the low oxygen environment ”. As a result Cells mutate to become cancerous and of course deadly if these cells reproduce and spread through out the body and the process is called metastasis.

Discovery of doctor Warburg was not accepted at once but he has discovered something marvelous that cancer cells metabolize and live in an anaerobic (without oxygen) environment. But these cells are transformed from healthy cells, which can’t live without oxygen for long time so cancer cells are quite different from the healthy cells. Cancer cells are enemies of our body as these metabolize at higher rate and consume maximum amount of energy.

Sodas and cigarettes create an environment, which is susceptible for cancer cells; hence these are secondary causes of cancer. Cigarettes inhibits the alveoli in the lungs from getting oxygen.

Now that you know the primary cause of cancer you are ahead of most folk, and can focus on truly protecting your health by keeping your body oxygenated using the many methods available through nutrition or simple lifestyle changes.

Old women with breast cancer get poor care as compared to young women study finds

Researchers from the University of Manchester found they are less likely to get a range of diagnostic tests and treatments. Writing in the British Journal of Cancer, they say this is likely to lead to higher rates of cancer recurring, and higher death rates. Cancer campaigners said women of all age’s deserved high standards of care (BBC NEWS).

The highest incidence of breast cancer in England occurs in women aged 70 and over. They also have a lower chance of surviving the disease - women aged 70-79 has a 76% chance of surviving for five years after their illness, compared to 80% for all ages. This drops to 61% for women aged 80 or over - a fall, which is not explained by their increase in age.