The Killer That Many Do Not Know About

Ashley Welker Dr. Jerz Editorial 10-14-2005

The Killer That Many do not Know About

When I was around 8 my family had moved to Texas because they had a world renowned Breast Cancer Center. Unfortunately by the time my Mother, bibi McKevley, was admitted in the summer of 1993 here breast cancer was already into stage IV, or better known as metastatic cancer because it had spread to her lungs, lymph nodes and bones. She was admitted in May of 1993 and died August 21st. Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, and has the second highest fatality rate to lung cancer. It is estimated by the American Cancer Society that 211,240 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and 40,410 will die from it this year. What exactly is breast cancer though? Breast cancer is a benign, or cancerous, tumor in the breast tissue or ducts. It is detected by a mammogram and diagnosed through a biopsies. Doctors suggest that women at 40 begin yearly mammograms because statistics show that there are more breast cancer cases in women 40 and older. There are two types of breast cancer; noninvasive, which does not spread and invasive cancer, which is the more deadly of the two because it spreads to other parts of the body. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 58,490 new cases of noninvasive cancer and 211,240 new cases of invasive cancer. My mother in 1989 was first thought to have noninvasive cancer in both breasts and she elected to have a mastectomy, where they remove the breast as compared to a lumpectomy where they remove just the tumor. Her cancer went into remission in 1993 and she was then subjected to heavy doses of radiation. Today treatments for breast cancer have improved for a pill form of chemo to hormonal treatment to light radiation. Now, especially with the help of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, we know so much more about breast cancer. The Founder of the Komen Foundation Nancy Brinker said on her website, “The cumulative knowledge, awareness, and progress in breast cancer today amazes me.” It amazes me as well and gives me hope for my future and the future of women. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I encourage every one out there to become educated and to tell their loved ones to go get a mammogram. Today doctors are detecting breast cancer earlier than ever, and the earlier the diagnosis and detection the better the prognosis. The giving does not have to just be in October though. Through the Komen website (www.komen.org) you can sign up to join the Race for The Cure or donate money to breast cancer research. There is no cure for cancer yet but through education and donations Brinker states, “We are steadfast in our faith that one day we will truly have something to celebrate: a world without breast cancer.”