Discussion on Breast Cancer (Essay Sample)

Breast Cancer
Providers may recommend mammography as a preventive service to patients at risk of breast cancer. Mammography is a specific type of breast imaging that uses low dose x-rays to protect cancer early, that is before women experiences symptoms and at a stage that is treatable. Mammography is an important tool to reduce deaths from breast cancer. The benefits of mammography increase with age with the greatest benefit for women between the age of 40 and 70.Its also recommended to tell your doctor of any breast symptoms or problem, prior surgeries, hormones use, whether you have a family or personal history of breast cancer so assist the radiologist with the examination. Mammography plays an important part in early detection of breast cancer since it shows changes early enough, like two years before the patient or physician can feel them.
They may also recommend that they avoid post menopause hormones. Although they should be taken long term to prevent diseases like chronic disease and osteoporosis studies have shown that they have a mixed effect on health since the decrease the risk of some diseases and lower the risk of others. Both estrogen hormones and estrogen plus progestin hormones increase the risk of breast cancer. It is therefore advisable that if women take post menopause hormones it should not belong term and should involve their doctor in making such decisions.
Preventive surgery is also important to preventing breast cancer especially to patients who have a family history of breast cancer. They are advised to talk to their doctors about genetic testing for mutation in genes that increase the risk of breast cancer such as BRCA genes. Patients at risk of breast cancer are also recommended to take drugs to reduce risk. Drugs such as tamoxifen and raloxifene from the studies have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer though these drugs can have their own risks and side effects. Among other recommendation is that they should limit alcohol, they should not smoke or expose themselves to radiation and environmental pollution.
This race may also impact the decisions related to preventive services by regularly visiting the doctor and p