This assignment focuses on cancer risks and causes.
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 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 evaluate the medical histories and breast cancer risks of Tanyaâs friends and estimate how they might reduce their risks. Y
ou 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 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 Tanyaâs 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.
Instructions
For this assignment, you will use a Patient Case Study Profile Form [DOCX] to evaluate four patient profiles and their medical histories. Refer to the resources listed in the Breast Cancer Risks, Genetics, and the Environment section.