Case Assessment

Case Assessment

Assignment 1

Background

Cancer indicates the presence of abnormal cells that multiply uncontrollably. In the case of breast cancer, cells can remain in the breast or spread throughout the body via the blood or lymphatic vessels. Most of the time, the progression of breast cancer takes many months and even years. Breast cancer is the cancer that is most diagnosed cancer in women worldwide, both before and after the menopause. One woman in 9 women is expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime, and 1 woman in 27 will die (Pache , 2005, 525-529). Globally, important gains have been made in expanding services for breast cancer, especially in higher-income countries. As mentioned earlier, however, survival rates among those with the disease are generally much higher in women possessing higher socioeconomic status due to greater opportunities for early detection and better access to care. In a study of late-stage diagnosis of breast cancer among patients in the Philippines, for example, economic factors were identified as a significant determinant of late diagnosis. Echoing the results of this research, a breast cancer study in two urban hospitals in Malaysia found that women presenting at the hospital that served lower socioeconomic populations were more likely to present with larger tumors at a later stage (with 50 to 60 percent of newly diagnosed breast cancers found to be at stage three or stage four) than did women at a hospital serving a more affluent area (where only 30 to 40 percent of cases were found to be at stage three or four).

Explanation to Linda

What happening with Linda is that the breast cancer has become severe that it has started affecting her lungs. The reason is that ling is the common place for metastasis of tumours from other body parts. In this case, the lung cancer will be categorized as a secondary cancer (Shapiro, 2006, 65-74). The secondary cancers are classified by the origin of site for example beats cancer that spread to the lungs; the metastases usually have a characteristic round appearance on the chest radiograph. Factors that may increase the risk of a woman are heredity, early puberty, late childbearing, obesity and lifestyle factors, such as excessive use of alcohol. Most breast cancers occur in women and women over 50 over 60 of those with a maximum risk. A woman developing breast cancer increases if the mother, sis, daughter, or two or more relative cousins, a history of breast cancer, especially in young age.

. It is possible that Linda might have caught breast cancer form her mother as the disease is characterised by the genetic influences as well (Lippman, 2002, 319-328). Lung cancer ranks first for men and women in high-income countries, overtaking breast cancer in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ninety percent of lung cancer is generally attributed to smoking, making it one of the most preventable forms of cancer. Additionally, as the cancer with the highest mortality rate, it contributes considerably to many of the deaths that could ...