Breast Cancer 1

Breast Cancer Prevalence in Todays Society

Amanda Garrett
Glen Allen High School

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Introduction
Breast cancer has affected the lives of many individuals in our nation and even
throughout the entire globe. Unfortunately, just like any cancer, there is no cure for breast cancer,
however there has been and will continue to be a myriad of research done in order to inch closer
and closer to curing cancer. Overtime there has been an increase in the prevalence of breast
cancer in society due to an increase in breast cancer diagnoses as well as research completed in
recent years. Researchers may have found possible links to the increase in breast cancer
diagnoses, however breast cancer is still a mystery to the world. Although it is a mystery,
awareness and knowledge on the issue are vital in eliciting power in people to overcome it.
Breast Cancer Definition
Breast cancer occurs when cells abnormally grow and a mass of tissue forms, known as
malignant tumor. When a malignant tumor forms in the breast, then that person has developed
breast cancer despite whether that person is a healthy or unhealthy individual. There are two
types of breast cancer non-invasive and invasive. Non-invasive breast cancer is also known as
ductal carcinoma in situ, which is when the abnormal cells are located in the milk ducts and have
not reached the breast tissue. However, non-invasive cancer does not mean a person is not
affected by cancer. They will still need to undergo treatment in order to prevent invasive cancer.
According to the Susan G. Komen foundation, 20% to 30% of low grade DCIS will progress to
invasive breast cancer if it is untreated. The other type of breast cancer is invasive, which is
when the cancer cells that were in the milk ducts break into breast tissue. These cancer cells can
travel to other parts of the body if it is not treated immediately. Most likely the first place the
cancer cells will spread to is the lymph nodes in the underarm area. Within the realm of

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invasive breast cancer, there are multiple types. Most common ones include invasive ductal
carcinoma and invasive lobular carcinoma. The difference of the two is which body part the
breast cancer originates (What is Breast Cancer, 2015).
There are also different stages of breast cancer which are expressed on a number scale of
0 to IV. Stage 0 is considered non-invasive cancer that is contained in one location, whereas
stage IV is invasive cancer that has spread from the breast to other parts of the body. These
stages are based off the size of the cancer, if it is invasive or non-invasive, if its located in the
lymph nodes, and if the cancer has spread. The stage of the cancer determines the prognosis,
which will then decide the treatment plan for the patient (Stages of Breast Cancer, 2015).
With the diagnosis of breast cancer, come many tests. Those tests include screening tests,
diagnostic tests, and monitoring tests. First, in order to determine whether someone has breast
cancer, they have to go through certain screenings and tests in order to diagnose the cancer.
These screening tests are routine tests on healthy people in order to catch the cancer early, which
is the obvious goal (Breast Cancer Tests: Screening, Diagnosis, and Monitoring, 2014). A
clinical breast exam is a part of an individuals routine check-up with their health care provider.
Also a mammogram, an X-ray of the breast, is used to screen for the cancer and it is considered
the best screening test for breast cancer today (Screening Tests & Diagnostic Tools, 2015).
In order to truly determine whether a person has cancer, a diagnostic test must be given,
such as a biopsy test (Breast Cancer Tests: Screening, Diagnosis, and Monitoring, 2014). A
biopsy test is a sample of tissue taken from the patients body for examination by a pathologist
(What Is a Biopsy? 2015). A pathologist specializes in diagnosing diseases and is able to
examine the characteristics of the cancer which can help the doctor decide the best path of

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treatment if the tissue is cancerous (Stages of Breast Cancer, 2015). Once the cancer is
diagnosed, monitoring tests are given throughout the treatment process to track the cancer
(Breast Cancer Tests: Screening, Diagnosis, and Monitoring, 2014). One of many monitoring
tests is a breast ultrasound which is non-invasive and uses sounds waves to create an image of
the breast (Screening Tests & Diagnostic Tools, 2015). However these are not the only tests
given throughout the screening, diagnosing and monitoring processes - there are many test
options based on the doctors decision.
After a person is diagnosed with breast cancer, a treatment plan is determined based upon
the particular type and stage of breast cancer. The broad groups of these treatments are local
therapy and systemic therapy as well as adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy. Local therapy is when
the treatment is solely intended to treat the tumor and not affect other parts of the body, which
include radiation therapy and surgery. Another type, systemic therapy, are oral drugs or drugs
directly put into the bloodstream to attack the cancer cells in the body. Types of treatment under
this category include hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and chemotherapy.
When a patients cancer is cleared after treatment, adjuvant therapy is given in order to
prevent the cancer from coming back. Adjuvant therapy kills cancerous cells that may have
spread to nearby tissue therefore systematic therapy can be used for this purpose as well. The
last broad group of breast cancer treatment is neoadjuvant therapy, which is when treatment, like
chemotherapy and hormone therapy, are given before a patient undergoes surgery in order to
shrink the tumor for less extensive treatment and operations to occur. Experience has shown that
with this therapy prior to surgery, the cancer has a better chance of dissipating (How is breast
cancer treated? 2015). All the treatments provided will be based off the type and stage of the

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patients breast cancer. Obviously the sooner the breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the
chances are of removing the cancer and preventing it from coming back.
Breast Cancer Diagnostic Increase
According to the National Cancer Institute during the 1970s the risk of being diagnosed
with breast cancer in the United States was 1 in every 10 people. However now in the United
States, it is 1 in every 8 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime based off the
SEER reports. The SEER submitted these statistics based on the years 2007 to 2009 (Breast
Cancer Risk in American Women, 2012). Even this past year statistics show that the chances of
women developing breast cancer during their life is still 1 in 8 or 12%. In this past year there was
an estimated 232, 670 new cases of invasive breast cancer expected to be diagnosed in women
in the US as well as 62,570 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer (U.S. Breast Cancer
Statistics, 2014). Now for the current year of 2015, it is estimated to have 231,840 new cases
of invasive breast cancer as well 60,290 new cases of in situ breast cancer (Breast Cancer
Statistics, 2015). By analyzing this data, it shows that the estimated new breast cancer
diagnoses will slightly decrease from the previous year to this year, however it is still an
estimation and not a concrete fact. Once the cancer statistics from both years are released, then it
can be formally determined whether there was an increase or decrease in diagnoses.
According to the Cancer Journal for Clinicians of 1999, there was an estimated total of
176,300 new breast cancer cases for both sexes (Landis, S. H., Murray, T., Bolden, S. and Wingo,
P. A.,1999). According to the Cancer Journal for Clinicians of 2014, there was an estimated total
of 235,030 breast cancer cases for both sexes (Siegel, R., Ma, J., Zou, Z. and Jemal, A., 2014). In

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a 15 year span, there was a significant increase of about 59,000 more people diagnosed with
breast cancer. The question that remains is why this increase has occurred.
Researchers have clued in to this issue of a suspicious increase in breast cancer
throughout the nation and therefore have analyzed it more closely to truly determine whether
breast cancer has become more common. Monte Morin, the director of the Adolescent and Young
Adult Oncology program at Seattle Childrens Hospital, asserts that younger women with
advanced breast cancer have increased about 2% each since the mid-1970s, and according to
her, this rise in diagnoses show[s] no signs of abating. In Montes article from the Los Angeles
Times, it is affirmed that in 1976 women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer was 1.53 out of
every 100,000 American women 25 to 39. In more recent years, in 2009, rate had almost
doubled to 2.9 per 100,000 women, which should be a concern for many women (Morin, 2013).
Breast cancer is not only a national issue, it is also seen globally. In the United Kingdom,
an increase in breast cancer diagnoses has seemed to be on the rise for several years according
to the Cancer Research UK. In Henry Scowcrofts article, he claims that in 1999 there were
42,400 women diagnosed with breast cancer creating a 1 in 9 chance of a woman developing
cancer in her lifetime. More recently in 2008, 47,700 women were diagnosed with this cancer
which seems to be about a 3.5% increase in the breast cancer incidence rate. With this data, as
of 2008, there is now a 1 in 8 chance of a woman getting breast cancer in the UK (Scowcroft,
2011). The 1 in 8 risk of attaining breast cancer in a womans life is also the same statistic as the
United States, which seems that there is a common trend between both rises in diagnoses of both
nations. Therefore not only should women be concerned in the United States about the rise in

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breast cancer, but all women and even men in nations all over the world should be aware and
alarmed by these statistics.
Possible Factors of Breast Cancer
Data has concluded that breast cancer death rates for women in the U.S. are higher than
any other cancer, besides lung cancer (U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics, 2014). Also with the
increase of younger women diagnosed with breast cancer, researchers are scratching to find the
reasoning behind this rise in cancer within society. Currently, the strongest risk factor for breast
cancer is age because as a woman ages, the chances of developing this cancer increases (Breast
Cancer Risk in American Women, 2012). However this does not account for the overall increase
of breast cancer, particularly in younger women. Therefore the rise is a continuously researched
topic, which has provided possible explanations, but no concrete answer to explaining the
increase of breast cancer.
Research has revealed that certain factors give women an increased chance of
developing breast cancer throughout their life. One of those factors is family history, which
seems to be a more well-known factor. A person is more likely to develop this cancer if their
close relative was diagnosed, especially if they were before the age of 50. Another factor is
genetic alterations which are inherited changes in certain genes, including BRCA1 and
BRCA2. Genetic changes account for around a 10 percent of breast diagnoses. Another factor
for developing breast cancer is a mammographic breast density, which is when the glandular
and connective tissue of the breast are dense and appear white on a mammogram. Generally
younger women have denser breasts, because as women age their fatty tissue increases within
their breasts which appear dark on mammograms. However, this does not indicate why more

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women are developing breast cancer at younger ages and overall the population is increasing in
diagnoses of this cancer, since these factors have been present in society before the increases had
occurred. (Breast Cancer Risk in American Women, 2012).
Other factors include alcohol, menstrual cycle, usage of menopausal hormone therapy,
DES, and race all seem to play a part in the development of breast cancer. The more alcohol a
person drinks, the more likely they can develop the cancer. If a woman gets her first menstrual
period before the age 12 or goes through menopause after 55 then there seems to be a more likely
chance of attaining breast cancer. Another possible factor is the drug, diethylstilbestrol (DES),
which was given to some pregnant women in the United States between 1940 and 1971 to
prevent miscarriage. Women who used this drug have a slight increase in developing breast
cancer. According to statistics, white women are more likely to have breast cancer over other
races as well (Breast Cancer Risk in American Women, 2012). All these factors play a part in
people, mainly women, developing breast cancer, but it is still researched as to which factor, or
possibly another unknown factor, is actually causing the rise in breast cancer diagnoses.
Possible Causes for Increase in Breast Cancer
While there has been an obvious increase in breast cancer diagnoses over the years and
there are researched factors that may be causing breast cancer, the question still remains as to
why breast cancer diagnoses are rising. From studying the Cancer Research UK Report, Dr.
Mercola claims that people are more likely to get breast cancer in their later life since genetic
mutations are more common as people age, however there is a concern for the rise in diagnoses
of younger women. Dr. Mercola mentions that the causes of breast cancer in young women are
still unknown, but its fairly safe to say that there are likely multiple contributors. One possible

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contributor of the rise in diagnoses is hormone replacement therapy. In 2002 a study was done on
hormone replacement therapy but then was stopped because women taking the synthetic
hormones had a risk of breast cancer, therefore the study was deemed unethical. Once the study
was halted and millions of women stopped taking the hormones, breast cancer incidence rate was
dropped by 7%. Birth-control pills are another concern for the rise in breast cancer as well
because they contain the same type of synthetic hormones used in the study, known as estrogen
and progestin (Dr. Mercola, 2013). Over the more recent years birth control use has seemed to
rise as society has evolved, which could be the cause for an incline in breast cancer diagnoses. If
more young girls are taking birth control, then they are exposed to the synthetic hormones at an
earlier age which is resulting in more breast cancer diagnoses of women, specifically in younger
women
Women are not just exposed to these chemicals through synthetic hormones, but also
through personal care products (shampoo, lotion, deodorant, cosmetics) because of parabens,
similar to estrogen, which are chemicals stored in these products (Dr. Mercola, 2013). Also as
society has evolved over time, the idea of being perfect has been ingrained in girls at any
earlier age. Since parabens may be a factor in causing breast cancer which are in personal care
products, like makeup, it could be a factor causing the increase. More girls are concerned with
their physical appearance, therefore are intoxicating themselves with chemicals that may cause
breast cancer.
However birth control and personal care products might not be the only factor playing a
role in the incline of breast cancer diagnoses. According to Dr. Mercolas article, cancer-causing
chemicals are also found in milk. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (RBGH) is a synthetic

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version of bovine somotrophin (BST) which is hormone produced in the pituitary glands of
cows. The RBGH is injected into cows in order to boost their milk production and is also the
largest selling dairy animal drug in the US. The issue arises for humans because RBGH that is
injected into cows contains levels of insulin growth factor (IGF-1) which regulates cell growth
and division and allows cancer cells to spread. When in contact with estrogen, IGF-1 has potent
growth-stimulating effects in human breast tissue and therefore causes breast cancer in an
individual. A study showed that premenopausal women with elevated IGF-1 levels had up to a
seven-fold increase in breast cancer also another study showed women younger than age 35
who have elevated IGF-1 have more aggressive breast cancer, which should elicit a major
concern for everyone who drinks milk, which is a majority of the population (Dr. Mercola,
2013). While these factors seem to play a role in the increase of breast cancer diagnoses, the
causes are consistently researched in order to find a cure for breast cancer and all cancers in
general.
Conclusion
The rise in breast cancer diagnoses is undeniable when comparing breast cancer incident
rates from previous years to current years. Not only is this an issue occurring in the United
States, but as research has shown, it is a problem in other nations as well. Even though there is
no definite answer as to why breast cancer diagnoses are increasing, there are several possible
factors that researchers are paying close attention to in order to solve this mystery. Women (and
men too) need to be aware of factors like hormone replacement therapy, birth control pills,
personal care products, as well as the chemicals in milk that may be the reason behind breast
cancer. These possible contributors to the increase in breast cancer can be reduced or even

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eliminated in peoples everyday lives, therefore informing the public of these factors should be
the main focus. The power in overcoming breast cancer, or any cancer, is knowledge and early
diagnosis. Knowledge is power; therefore awareness of the rise in breast cancer is a vital step
toward solving this mystery.

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Research List
Breast Cancer Risk in American Women. (2012 September 24). Retrieved from:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast/risk-fact-sheet
Breast Cancer Statistics. (2015 January 22). Retrieved from:
http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Statistics.html
Breast Cancer Tests: Screening, Diagnosis, and Monitoring. (2014 December 8). Retrieved
from: http://www.breastcancer.org/
Dr. Mercola. (2013 May 21). More Younger Women Getting Breast Cancer. Retrieved from:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/05/21/breast-cancer-youngwomen.aspx
How is breast cancer treated? (2015 February 26). Retrieved from:
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-treatinggeneral-info
Morin, Monte. (2013 February 2013). Breast cancer among young women increasing. Retrieved
from: http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/26/science/la-sci-breast-cancer-youngerwomen-20130227
Scowcroft, Henry. (2011 February 4). Why are breast cancer rates increasing? Retrieved from:
http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2011/02/04/why-are-breast-cancer-ratesincreasing/

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Screening Tests & Diagnostic Tools. (2015). Retrieved from:

http://ww5.komen.org/AboutBreastCancer/ScreeningandEarlyDetection/ScreeningTes
tsandDiagnosticTools/ScreeningTestsDiagnosticTools.html
Siegel, R., Ma, J., Zou, Z. and Jemal, A. (2014), Cancer statistics, 2014. Retrieved from:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.3322/caac.21208/full
Stages of Breast Cancer. (2015 March 3). Retrieved from:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/diagnosis/staging
U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics. (2014 September 20). Retrieved from:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/understand_bc/statistics
What Is a Biopsy? (2015). Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/cancer/what-is-a-biopsy
What is Breast Cancer (2015 March 31). Retrieved from:
http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/WhatisBreastCancer.html