Pharmacotherapy for Hematologic Disorders
The hematologic disorder selected in this case cancer –specifically, breast cancer. It is important to note, from the onset, that breast cancer has been identified as one of the leading causes of death amongst women across the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC (2018), without taking into consideration some skin cancer types, breast cancer is not only “the most common cancer in women” in the United States, but also “the second most common cause of death from cancer among white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and the American Indian/Alaska Native women.” The first position, as far as mortality rates amongst women with cancer is concerned, is occupied by lung cancer.
The most prominent symptom of breast cancer is a lump inside the breast. Other symptoms, according to the National Cancer Institute (2018), could be inclusive of an inverted nipple, sore nipple, and breast pain. Although the actual causes of breast cancer are yet to be fully understood, various risk factors have been identified in the past. These include, but they are not limited to, lifestyle factors (excessive intake of alcohol) and genetic predisposition. It is important to note that there are various approaches...
These are, biopsy, ultrasound testing, and a mammography. Breast cancer could also be diagnosed by way of physical examination of the breast to look for a misplaced lump.
There are various treatment options that could be explored in the treatment and management of breast cancer. The more common treatment options, according to CDC (2018), are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. It is, however, important to note that the effectiveness of these treatment options is largely found on the stage at which the cancer is discovered and the lifestyle changes adopted to supplement the treatment of the disease. This text highlights the radiation therapy approach to the treatment of breast cancer.
The National Cancer Institute (2018) terms radiation therapy as “a cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.” This particular approach to tackling cancer happens to be the most common – with Moding, Kastan, and Kirsch (2013) pointing out that “approximately 50% of all patients with cancer receive radiation therapy at some point during the course of their treatment, and the majority of these patients are treated with curative intent.” It is important to note that…
