National Context
Breast cancer is a rampant disease all across the United States. Many women die each year in America because of breast cancer, 1 in 8(about 12.3%) women will contract breast cancer in their lifetime, however the risk varies in different age groups older women are more at risk to contract breast cancer than younger women. Genetics also play a role in a woman’s risk of contracting breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that produce tumor suppressing proteins. “These proteins help repair damaged DNA and, therefore, play a role in ensuring the stability of the cell’s genetic material...”. “Specific inherited mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of female breast and ovarian cancers, and they have been associated with increased risks of several additional types of cancer…”.16 As of 2013 there was an estimated 3,053,450 women living with breast cancer in the United States. This data shows the proportion of breast cancer and how many women it affects. According to the National Cancer Institute in 2012, 232,340 female breast cancers and 2,240 male breast cancers were reported in the United States, with 39,620 deaths caused by the disease. From 2006-2012 only 89.7% of people survived for 5 years or more after a cancer diagnosis. These numbers represent the risk, effect and damage that breast cancer inflicts to the population. In 2012, the United States was ranked 9th in the world for breast cancer frequency in women, 93 per 100,000 women contracted cancer. However, the United States was also ranked 9th in the world for countries with the best survival rates in which 970,693 women were still alive five years after a breast cancer diagnosis. In addition, breast cancer has shown a big difference in the United States because of the history it has. Since 1975 breast cancer rates have shot up while death rates have gone down. In 1975, 105 breast cancer cases and 31 deaths per 100,000 women were recorded. In 2013, 130 cases and 21 deaths per 100,000 women were recorded. This data shows a trend of that since the 1970s breast cancer rates have increased while death rates have decreased in the United States. The estimated number of cases of breast cancer in the United States as of 2016 is 246,660 with the estimated death toll to be at 40,450. Looking at the data, it is clear that breast cancer cases and deaths are increasing every year, and it is important for scientists to see this data and understand the proportion at which breast cancer increases.
Breast cancer is a rampant disease all across the United States. Many women die each year in America because of breast cancer, 1 in 8(about 12.3%) women will contract breast cancer in their lifetime, however the risk varies in different age groups older women are more at risk to contract breast cancer than younger women. Genetics also play a role in a woman’s risk of contracting breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that produce tumor suppressing proteins. “These proteins help repair damaged DNA and, therefore, play a role in ensuring the stability of the cell’s genetic material...”. “Specific inherited mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of female breast and ovarian cancers, and they have been associated with increased risks of several additional types of cancer…”.16 As of 2013 there was an estimated 3,053,450 women living with breast cancer in the United States. This data shows the proportion of breast cancer and how many women it affects. According to the National Cancer Institute in 2012, 232,340 female breast cancers and 2,240 male breast cancers were reported in the United States, with 39,620 deaths caused by the disease. From 2006-2012 only 89.7% of people survived for 5 years or more after a cancer diagnosis. These numbers represent the risk, effect and damage that breast cancer inflicts to the population. In 2012, the United States was ranked 9th in the world for breast cancer frequency in women, 93 per 100,000 women contracted cancer. However, the United States was also ranked 9th in the world for countries with the best survival rates in which 970,693 women were still alive five years after a breast cancer diagnosis. In addition, breast cancer has shown a big difference in the United States because of the history it has. Since 1975 breast cancer rates have shot up while death rates have gone down. In 1975, 105 breast cancer cases and 31 deaths per 100,000 women were recorded. In 2013, 130 cases and 21 deaths per 100,000 women were recorded. This data shows a trend of that since the 1970s breast cancer rates have increased while death rates have decreased in the United States. The estimated number of cases of breast cancer in the United States as of 2016 is 246,660 with the estimated death toll to be at 40,450. Looking at the data, it is clear that breast cancer cases and deaths are increasing every year, and it is important for scientists to see this data and understand the proportion at which breast cancer increases.