2008 Woodie Awards
RSSOncology nurse speaks about breast cancer awareness
By Rachel Dorrell
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: News
One of the biggest aspects of breast cancer awareness is early detection. Knowing what to look for saves lives, an oncology nurse said Thursday.
Andrea Hart, an oncology resource nurse at St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown, spoke about detection, treatment, and the future of breast cancer.
"The big thing to know: look for a change," Hart said- "Know your body, know if there's a change, and get it checked by your doctor." She said there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, and early detection is key to receiving the most successful treatment.
Hart explained some of the basics of breast cancer as a disease. Breast cancers kill more women annually than any disease except heart disease, but awareness of breast cancer has grown exponentially as technology has advanced.
After the lecture, Hart said although the media has reported higher incidence of breast cancer among women who use contraceptive pills,there is no definite relationship. Hart said taking birth control pills may actually prevent the onset of ovarian cancer.
Hart said breast cancers most often occur in the milk ducts and lobules, the most active tissues in the breast. Cells are termed cancerous when their growth is no longer regulated and the number of cells multiplies uncontrollably. This growth sometimes forms a mass, or tumor, which can grow in a way that blocks normal function of the ducts or lobules.Breast cancer, in its worst stages, can also metastasize, or spread, to other organs in the body, Hart said.
Hart said that there are a few different kinds of breast cancer: ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), and infiltrating/invasive lobular carcinomas, which all occur in either the ducts or lobules of the breast. Inflammatory breast cancer, which is the rarest, occurs in the lymph vessels of the breast skin.
Hart said early detection of breast cancer is the easiest way to treat it successfully. Women are advised to give themselves monthly self-breast examinations and receive annual exams by a physician. It is suggested that women get mammograms every three years starting at the age of 30 and annually beginning at 40.
Andrea Hart, an oncology resource nurse at St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown, spoke about detection, treatment, and the future of breast cancer.
"The big thing to know: look for a change," Hart said- "Know your body, know if there's a change, and get it checked by your doctor." She said there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, and early detection is key to receiving the most successful treatment.
Hart explained some of the basics of breast cancer as a disease. Breast cancers kill more women annually than any disease except heart disease, but awareness of breast cancer has grown exponentially as technology has advanced.
After the lecture, Hart said although the media has reported higher incidence of breast cancer among women who use contraceptive pills,there is no definite relationship. Hart said taking birth control pills may actually prevent the onset of ovarian cancer.
Hart said breast cancers most often occur in the milk ducts and lobules, the most active tissues in the breast. Cells are termed cancerous when their growth is no longer regulated and the number of cells multiplies uncontrollably. This growth sometimes forms a mass, or tumor, which can grow in a way that blocks normal function of the ducts or lobules.Breast cancer, in its worst stages, can also metastasize, or spread, to other organs in the body, Hart said.
Hart said that there are a few different kinds of breast cancer: ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), and infiltrating/invasive lobular carcinomas, which all occur in either the ducts or lobules of the breast. Inflammatory breast cancer, which is the rarest, occurs in the lymph vessels of the breast skin.
Hart said early detection of breast cancer is the easiest way to treat it successfully. Women are advised to give themselves monthly self-breast examinations and receive annual exams by a physician. It is suggested that women get mammograms every three years starting at the age of 30 and annually beginning at 40.
