Breast Cancer Risks, Genetics, and the Environment

Breast Cancer Risks, Genetics, and the Environment
Cancer is a nonselective disease. Cancer can occur at any age, and although treatments have been improved, cancer still can be a deadly disease. Some cancer is linked to environmental causes such as cigarette smoke or UV radiation. Other causes may be genetic, such as inheriting the gene for breast cancer. Early detection can impact the outcome of cancer; therefore, it is important to recognize early symptoms and tests for prevention.

Tanya has received some troubling results from her “23 and Me” DNA test. She has inherited the BRCA1 gene for breast cancer.

Even though Tanya has the breast cancer gene, it does not necessarily mean she will ever develop breast cancer. However, she does have a chance. In this unit, you are going to evaluate the medical histories and breast cancer risks of Tanya’s friends and estimate how they might reduce their risks. You will learn about the various risk factors, both genetic and lifestyle-related, as well as prevention methods for breast cancer.

Overview
With advancements in medicine, genetic testing can be used to determine if you have the gene for a specific type of cancer. For example, the BRAC1 is a gene for breast cancer, but just because you have the gene you may not develop cancer; however, it still gives a person a greater risk. In this assignment, you are going to evaluate the medical histories and breast cancer risks of Tanya’s friends and estimate how they might reduce their risks. You will learn about the various risk factors, both genetic and lifestyle-related, as well as prevention methods for breast cancer.

cf_patient_case_study_profile_form
For this assignment,

• you will use a Patient Case Study Profile Form to evaluate four patient profiles and their medical histories
• Examine the four patient profiles and medical histories of Tanya’s friends (Mary, Paula, June, and Nora) with respect to their breast cancer risk.
• Use the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Risk Calculator Tool to estimate the patient’s risks of developing breast cancer
• Provide recommendations for each patient profile as to how they might reduce their cancer risk

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Apply concepts of human biology to the social sciences
• Examine each patient profile and cancer risks
• Analyze each patient profile cancer risks and causes using provided resources
• Use the risk calculator to estimate the patient’s risks of developing breast cancer
• Recommend how each patient might reduce their risk of cancer