Life, as we know on earth, is dependent on a number of things including the temperature of our planet. But what makes the temperature of earth perfectly habitable but the atmosphere of other planets, even those in our solar system such as Mars, harsh and uninhabitable?
Scientists have outlined four basic ingredients responsible
for maintenance and moderation of atmospheric temperature: atmospheric
composition (gases which constitute atmosphere of a planet); atmospheric
density; water content (from oceans, rivers, glaciers and air atmospheric
humidity); and finally the distance from the sun plays a critical role in
determining the atmosphere of a planet. Other minor factors such as seasonal
effects and the presence of magnetosphere play a role like an icing on the
cake.
Our planet earth has a perfect mix of all these factors which makes the temperature and atmosphere of our planet habitable. Changes in this natural balance can have adverse effects― an increase in greenhouses gases since the industrial revolution has led to global warming and extreme changes in climatic conditions all over the globe.
It is surprising how little changes in concentrations of carbon dioxide are causing huge changes in the global climate. Carbon dioxide, present in the earth’s atmosphere, represents only a fraction of gases in the atmosphere and it constitutes only 0.041%. Through studies carried out in remote parts of Antarctica, scientists came to measure the natural concentration of carbon dioxide trapped in air bubbles deep under the surface. When these concentrations of the pre-industrial revolution era were compared with present concentrations of carbon dioxide, it indicates a twofold increase. The natural concentrations of carbon dioxide should be 200 ppm (parts per million) meaning that for every 200 carbon dioxide particles there are millions of other natural gases. The present concentrations exceed above 400 ppm.
Other than the gases present in the atmosphere, water plays a pivotal role in controlling the temperature of our planet. It is due to this reason that tropical rainforests have almost a constant temperature.
If we look at our planetary neighbors, we find extreme
differences in temperatures and atmosphere ranging from very dense to extremely
light atmospheres.
Mercury, being closest to the sun, is expected to be the hottest planet. It also has a very thin atmosphere. On the contrary, Venus is the hottest planet with high concentrations of carbon dioxide (over 96%) and a very dense atmosphere.
The atmosphere of Mars is also very rich in carbon dioxide (above 96%) but it has an extremely thin atmosphere (only 1% of earth). The atmosphere of Mars is not only dry it experiences extreme changes in temperatures during the transition between the day and night. This combination makes the planet very cold and an inhospitable place for human life. The Mars exploration rovers, Spirit at Gusev Crater and Opportunity at Meridiani Planum, have reported extreme temperatures― a few degrees above zero Celsius at the day to as below as minus 80 Celsius at night.
Karachi: This month, a unique and exciting event will be experienced in space in which the planet, Mercury, will pass in front of the Sun. This is called Mercury transition. Millions of people around the globe will observe the planet on the face of the Sun as though it is a pimple on it. This event will reoccur after a wide gap of 13 years, in 2032. It shows that in a century, this happens only 13 times. There are only two planets in our Solar System which float pass in front of the Sun during their course, and these include Mercury and Venus.
Previously, Venus passed in front of the Sun in 2012, many institutions are preparing to capture stunning photographs of the event. Mostly, planets orbit around the Sun quite fast, but their path is not parallel with that of Earth’s. Either they are above the Sun or pass beneath it. On this basis, November is a particular time when Earth, Mercury, and the Sun are in one line, and can carefully observe the orbit of Mercury.
In this case, Mercury is seen as a black dot on the surface of the Sun, making up a very tiny portion of the Sun’s area. For this moment, NASA has asked the observers of space to be prepared because this is an exceptional and mesmerizing event.
Most experts from NASA and other space agencies have warned that looking directly at the Sun in this situation can harm our eyesight. It is suggested to observe the shadow of the Sun in a bowl full of water or by using an old X-ray. With these precautions, Mercury can be seen moving gradually from one pole to another on the surface of the Sun.
A sad piece of news is that this transition will not be visible in most parts of Pakistan. Only a glance will be caught from Karachi and areas in its vicinity from 5 34 pm. A dot (Mercury) will be visible on the upper right side of the face of the Sun. It will be more prominent in the next 2 minutes and eventually move towards the middle area of the Sun, which will start setting at 5 44 pm.
For people who wish to see, it is again instructed that they don’t look at the Sun directly and use an X-ray to observe.
Life would not remain the same after a cancer diagnosis, it gets a twist, and everyone bound to have lots of questions about the severity of the disease, treatment, and life after recovery. A newly diagnosed patient needs assurance always that there is still hope, but most important of all, where should a patient go for treatment.
This question seems simple, one can scroll social media or Google world best cancer treatment hospital within a few seconds, but the road to a complete recovery is harder enough. One needs to figure out available financial resources and insurance and then to map out a treatment plan. In Pakistan, patients and family members often got stuck at the initial stage of planning due to the lack of cancer awareness. Cancer is life-threatening, but most of its types can be cured when diagnosed at an early stage.
In a developing country like Pakistan, there is a severe need for awareness about “Second Opinion.” This is mandatory step doctors recommend to patients and their families to slow down their search of cancer specialists and hospitals and take a crucial but more often an overlooked step and get a second opinion.
Scientia’s editorial team reached out to some cancer specialists and cancer survivors and came across these five reasons why patients and family members should take the second opinion on their road to recovery.
Peace of Mind
Up-to-date treatment and technology
A different approach to treatment
Access to best up-to-date medical facilities
A continuous assurance that there is hope
Mandi Hudson, an author shows his support for the second opinion
According to a physician of Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), “Getting a second opinion may help you decide the cancer treatment designed to meet your needs. Many of us face time constraints, and fitting another appointment into your busy work or home life may be challenging. Many factors determine how long a second opinion evaluation takes. During the evaluation, a dedicated team of oncologists, nurses, dietitians, and other cancer experts work with you to review your medical history, diagnostic tests, and treatment status. We may also use additional diagnostic technology to further evaluate the disease. Using all this information, we then develop your personalized treatment plan.”
Pam Lefferts, a cancer survivor expresses his views on the second opinion
Carly O’Brien, LCSW, OSW-C, discussed the need for the second opinion and came across the situations when taking the second opinion is mandatory.
You have a rare or unusual cancer
You feel uncomfortable with your doctor, the diagnosis or you need confirmation
Your health insurance requires it
The treatment offered has side effects or risks that you find disconcerting
More options will result in unacceptable or unreasonable demands on your life and your family
Your doctor’s treatment goals are different from your own
Your cancer is not responding to your current treatment
NASA marked Halloween by releasing fascinating and spooky images of the cosmos, that gives the creeps to some and excites others. Some of those were captured by telescopes such as Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescope. Most of these included nebulas and stars colliding with each other and even the Sun looking like jack-o’-lantern. Check out the freaky visuals down below!
This image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope shows two “eyes” which are actually the cores of two colliding galaxies Image credit: NASA/ESA
This picture released on the time of Halloween shows the active regions on the sun giving it the appearance of a jack-o’-lantern Image credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO
This image shows the Witch Head nebula, which is estimated to be hundreds of light-years away in the Orion constellation Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Spitzer captures a massive star in the center of a cloud of dust and gas creating the “Jack-o-lantern Nebula.” Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA recently shared this spooky image of asteroid 2015 TB145 which is a dead comet Image credit: NAIC-Arecibo/NSF
IRAS 05437+2502, also known as Ira’s Ghost, is a small, faint reflection nebula filled with dark dust and a mysterious bright sharp arc Image credit: ESA/HUBBLE, R. SAHAI, AND NASA
Hubble space telescope has captured an intimidating image of a weird ghost-like face. The image taken by the NASA’s Hubble space telescope peeks deep into space and has captured the ghostly profile of a head-on collision of two galaxies some 700 million light-years away. The ghostly face seen in the majestic image released by NASA shows two “eyes” which are actually the cores of two colliding galaxies. While the cores of galaxies form the eyes, the “nose” and “head” of the ghost are formed by the clouds of dust and gas pulled together into star-forming regions.
The binary system of the two colliding galaxies is known as Arp-Madore 2026-424. The colliding system is also included in a “Catalogue of Southern Peculiar Galaxies and Associations”. The catalog was first assembled by Astronomer Halton Arp who identified 338 unusual-looking galaxies.
The image (R) captured by the Hubble Space Telescope (L) shows two “eyes” which are actually the cores of two colliding galaxies
This image of AM2026-424 was taken by Hubble Space Telescope as part of a program to take a closer look at unique and peculiar-looking galaxies during gaps in the observatory’s schedule. The goal of the program is to learn more about the galaxies in our night sky and understand the merger of galaxies and to identify future targets for observation for the James Webb Space telescope after it launches in 2021.
Cancer is a disease whereby affected body cells grow uncontrolled and deprives healthy body cells of nutrients and appropriate function. According to a fact sheet of WHO, released in 2017, cancer is a chief cause of mortality worldwide, resulting in every 1 per 6 deaths being cancer mediated. In 2019, around 140,690 cancer cases have been recorded in Pakistan, and a murky side is that the majority of these patients will continue their fight against cancer lifelong.
A recent demo-graph conducted by JPMA under the supervision of Agha Khan Hospital showed some common cause of cancer-related deaths in women is breast cancer, followed by Lung and blood cancer. But most of the population is entirely unaware of the causes behind the rapid growth in disease and of the fact that death risk can be minimized with early diagnosis or annual mammograms of women.
Certain risk factors are contributing to the fast pace of cancer cases, including Hormone deficiency, heredity, metabolic, or irregularity in the immune system. Whereas external sources like alcohol, smoking, excessive radiation exposure, and imbalance in dietary are instrumental in this deadliest disease. Nanoparticle toxicity is another major cause of genetic mutations that can prove to be carcinogenic as these Nanoparticles are present in smoke, paints, and even in the air.
In Pakistan, no population-based study has been conducted so far to figure out the nationwide incidence of cancer cases. According to a rough estimation, Pakistan stands as a sixth nation in the world where more than 80 million of the total population is suffering through such a chronic disease. However, cancer is needed to be monitored monthly with a proper cancer monitoring policy and prevention strategy.
Moreover, there is a severe lack of awareness for gender-based cancer types like breast, skin, and ovarian cancer; they are still a taboo subject in our society, patients and their families used to hide the diagnosis. A thorough analysis with detrimental effects on psych-social aspects of a patient’s life should be done to identify the financial stress on the family when a member diagnosed with cancer. In this regard WHO provides an organized framework that maintains global guidelines on cancer enlistment and restorative coding data. In Pakistan, only Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, working around 19 years, and Agha Khan Hospital Karachi, are contributing to information collection on cancer analysis and treatment and equally providing research facilities to tackle health challenges. SKMH has its own cancer registry and record of cancer cases which reveals an upward trend in progress and prevalence of breast/blood cancer due to the lack of awareness and facilities among patients.
Pakistan has no dearth of talent, our great scientists and researchers are working hard in the international organizations, and an example is Dr. Waqas Usman Hingoro, based in Liyari, a small town in the premises of Karachi, his research on advanced treatment of cancer has recently been published in prestigious Nature Communication journal. Dr. Hingro with his team unleashed the ability of red blood cells’ components called extracellular vesicles, which can successfully carry drug delivery nanoparticles (NPs) into the affected human body parts.
Nonetheless, we are short on job opportunities and cancer research facilities in our Universities and educational institutions. This inappropriate culture is the primary cause of unawareness as it never encourages local medical students and researchers to develop a strategy or a coping mechanism for our fight against cancer. However, navigation in the cancer path will be more straightforward when young researchers are provided with a proper support system and guidance. Our Government and private sector should prioritize investment in cancer and a committed training program and mentorship of next-generation scientists should be included in the equation.
NASA Space Apps Challenge was organized for the 3rd consecutive time this year by RaheQamar and their event partners in Pakistan. The event organized on 18-20th October simultaneously for the first time ever in 5 major cities, Islamabad, Quetta, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi. Following statistics give you a glimpse of the huge success of this historic event:
It was a milestone achievement and given the great response by the participants and enthusiasts alike, team RaheQamar hopes to expand this program even more next time.
RaheQamar’s Founder and CEO, Mohammad Iftekhar Yezdani said in a statement, “We started to host NASA Space Apps from Islamabad. The next year we organized it in Karachi as well. This year we have successfully hosted in 5 major cities across Pakistan! The overwhelming response of more than 500 registrations from all over Pakistan, shows that Pakistan has immense talent ready to work on Space technologies and applications. I would like to congratulate my team RaheQamar and I heartily thank all of the participants, judges and mentors for making Space apps 2019 a huge success! We would continue to organize more global events that provide students, professionals and artists with opportunities to collaborate and put Pakistan on the global map of science, space science & technology.”
Here are some highlights of the event.
Space Apps Islamabad
In Islamabad, the event was conducted at CoWork24 in collaboration with the Google developers group (ISB). Mohammad Iftekhar Yezdani and Pawan Akhani along with their team members and volunteers organized the challenge and a total of five teams participated.
1st Prize: Team
SSI3 (Memory Maker) ‘mechanical memory storage’ device earned the praise from
judges because it addressed the problem i.e. “Electronics not working well on
Venus due to its extreme conditions”. The device that their team proposed was
named “Mechanically Integrated Memory (MIM)”.
2nd Prize: Team
Mahir-e-Falkiat (From Curious Minds Come Helping Hands)
Space Apps Karachi
This subevent was organized at Tabani’s School of Accountancy. It was managed by Hassaan Bin Zaki and Waniya Khursheed along with their team and a total of seven teams participated.
1st Prize: Team
NUST (Memory maker)
2nd Prize: Team
Globe saver (warming planets, cool ideas)
Space Apps Peshawar
Space Apps Peshawar was organized for the first time ever at
CECOS University Peshawar in collaboration with ORIC (CECOS) and Makers lab. It
was managed by Zara Shafique, Abdul Subhan and their team and a total of six
teams took part in the challenge.
1st Prize: Team
Space analysts (Rising water). They plan to create awareness regarding rising
sea levels and their consequences through an interesting 3D game.
2nd Prize: Team
E.co stellar (Global warming) who designed a device to convert nitrogen oxide
to ammonia.
Space Apps Quetta
This too was held for the first time in the city of Quetta and the response was the most overwhelming among all the cities. It was Organized at BUITEMS (Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences). The event was managed by Dr. Bushra Naeem, Asim Khan, and Raza Hassan and their team and in total nine teams participated.
1st Prize: Team Flow who
presented a solution for global warming.
2nd Prize: Team
Thruster debris towards gravity. (They worked in the category “Design your
own challenge” and proposed a solution to clean space debris.)
Space Apps Lahore
Superior University Lahore, in collaboration with Chaudhary Muhammad Akram Center of Economic Development, hosted the NASA Space Apps Challenge in Lahore. Engr. Rashid Liaqat and Engr. Sagheer Ahmed along with their team managed the challenge and a total of eight teams participated.
1st Prize: Team Tunaray. They worked out a smart solution
for the provision of cheap internet in the oceans.
2nd Prize: Team Lunar Dust. They proposed a setup that may reduce the contamination of landers by moondust with the help of reversing electromagnetism of dust and other stuff being employed on the astronaut’s suits and the lander chamber as well.
All these successful events were supported by respected and famous professionals belonging to different fields as well as the Entrepreneurial sector. These included Mr. Ghulam Jillani (Chief Executive at G.J. Associates for Corporate Training Solutions & Consulting, Vice President, Pakistan Policy Institute USA), Mrs. Farhat Bashir and Mr. Muhammad Zulkifil Ahmed (Seerab Maps), Mr. Ajmal Hussain, Dr. Bakhtiar Kasi, Mrs. Anila Iftekhar, and many other prestigious judges and mentors who greatly assisted in the event and encouraged and lauded the teams for their active participation.
A new “world-class” surf lake has been opened in Bristol,
England that is completely powered by renewable energy.
The Wave is the name given to this complex that was built with an estimated cost of 26 million pounds, and the swells generated can be altered as per the type of riders, fast for experienced and slow for amateur surfers. The creators hope that it will help to bring light to various pressing environmental issues including carbon emissions and excessive use of non-degradable plastics that affect the oceans and marine life. Not only that, but it can also be used by those suffering from disabilities and conditions.
Surfing is one of the most popular water sports in the world which features a wide rider riding on the surface of the wave in the sea moving towards the shore. These waves can also be found in the lakes and rivers, though those in oceans are definitely more challenging.
The man behind this surf lake is Nick Hounsfield who says it
took almost a decade to make this idea a reality. In a statement to BBC, he
said, “We’ve got a real opportunity of getting people, particularly kids,
off computers, getting them outdoors, get them interacting with nature, and
improving people’s health and wellbeing on a physical and a mental basis.”
Keeping in mind the ambition and idea behind this venture,
the site has been constructed using non-toxic materials and sustainable wood
fibre is used. Solar panels are also used to bring down the energy expenses.
Originally the project was started with almost no money and the create went through a lot of trouble to get it on its feet. Some are saying that this will become a popular surfing destination as the waves produced in the surf lakes will make people feel more secure. With this development, more spots are going to be opened soon as the idea of safe and environment-friendly sport is pleasing to all.
I’m pretty sure as soon as you saw the title, you imagined a group of fiction characters with extraordinary superpowers. They fight evil and save the world from crime. I believed this, too, and it led me down to memory lane. As a kid, everyone loved the Power Puff Girls, the Teen Titans, and similar inspirational superheroic cartoons. Sadly, after I searched the Radium girls on the Internet, this idea of mine shattered into a million pieces. Brace yourself as I am going to introduce you to a terrible and depressing story, the unbelievable true story of America’s Radium Girls.
It all began when two scientists Marie and Pierre Curie, first discovered the Radium element in 1898. Enthralled, they immediately purified a sample to work with. They found that the element was quite dangerous to handle and caused a burning sensation to the skin and eyes. Of course, the couple did not mention these unpleasant effects to avoid degrading the value of their discovery.
Radium, mixed with the right kind of paint, emitted luminescence when exposed to light and could soak up energy from the sun and shine bright all night long. This was considered a scientific miracle of that time.
In 1917, jobs were rare because of the war. Scores of young patriotic girls thanked their lucky stars when they were offered jobs at a large warehouse complex in Orange, New Jersey. The young ladies had to apply glowing paint to the faces of clocks, instrument gauges, and wristwatches for the United States Radium Company. The pay was higher enough, and the work required minimum manual effort. This was an option not to be overlooked!
Scores of young ladies had to apply glowing paint to clocks, instrument gauges, and wristwatches
A little bit about Radium
The only stable isotope of Radium is Ra-226, and it has a half-life of 1600 years. As long as it lasts, a sample will emit alpha-particles in all directions. These emissions are usually harmless in minute quantities. They are present in everyday kitchen and bathroom supplies and low in energy in these cases, so do not penetrate the skin. Radium is virtually safe outside the body.
Unfortunately, inside the body, it’s a totally different story. It creates pandemonium in the tissues. The warm glow you see coming out from Radium is actually atoms acting like tiny batteries. Light photons strike the radium atom, bumping its electrons into a higher orbit. When in the dark, these electrons spontaneously drop back to lower orbits, while emitting photons as they go. When Radium is placed next to human cells, it turns into a microscopic machine gun, lodging into the tissues. The Radium fires off particle after particle at a closer range, leading to the mutation and eventual death of surrounding cells.
The work of the Radium Girls
Who knew gender discrimination would have such disturbing consequences? While the men working for URSC were given lead aprons to protect themselves, no such caution was taken for the women. Furthermore, the shop girls were encouraged to lick their brushes to achieve an excellent point for detailed work. Evidently, according to the company, the men were handling large amounts of raw material while the girls were exposed to only small amounts at one time. This led to the girls being as careless with the paint as though it was a regular one. In fact, they enjoyed it when the paint got all over their clothes and gave them an attractive glow.
For several years, working at the radium plant was fun and very well-paid, so many of the employees encouraged their sisters, nieces, and other female family members to apply. By 1920, several large families were working on URSC’s floor, totaling around 300 girls at the peak of operations.The consequences start rolling in…
The first case was as horrible as it was surprising. Radium girl Mollie Maggia experienced a severe toothache in January 1922. Several trips to the dentist followed, in which many of her teeth came out, leaving wounds that refused to heal. By May, the dentist concluded that surgery was needed to remove excessive growth in Mollie’s jaw. After the gums were removed, the bone was ashy and gray. It took only a touch of the finger for it to crumble into ashes. The Radium had perforated the bone cells and stripped them of Calcium. The collagen inside the bone was shredded as though targeted by a tiny machine gun. Mollie met a tragic death several months later, the tumors spreading to her inner ear and jugular vein.
The girls suffered from various agonizing symptoms
By this time, all sorts of odd symptoms were cropping up in the shop girls. One suffered a total collapse of her vertebrae, while others developed skin cancer, cataracts, throat cancer, hair loss, etc. At that time, Radium was not blamed as the culprit as it was not thought of to cause any harm. Mollie’s death was attributed to Syphilis.
By 1924, when dozens of radium girls were sick or dead, a study was carried out, which established that the glowing muck was indeed hazardous. Enraged, URSC paid for another study to prove the first one wrong. In 1925, Harrison Martland, Medical Officer at Essex County, reopened Mollie’s case. He abolished the jury system and handed the case to a team of competent medical examiners. As expected, Mollie’s corpse clearly had been mangled by radiation. Similar results came through for other radium girls who had died. USRC was driven into ruins by medical and court costs.
Happy Ending?
By the time of the radium girls incident, many had met a tragic and painful death, or were suffering from dilapidating bones and various cancers. Those who had the willpower to remain staunch in the court wars were given compensation by the company. The ones who died did not do so in vain. Dr. Martland’s work attracted attention and started working with uranium, plutonium, and other radioactive elements.
In 1942, the first brief chain reaction was established by physicists at the University of Chicago. Three years later, the Manhattan Project produced the first atom bombs. The US Atomic Energy Commission was able to develop safety protocols to protect many war workers in WW2. Even today, Dr. Martland’s work on the radium girls and the effects of long-term alpha exposure is being cited, and millions of people around the globe have benefited from the sad case of the radium girls.
Two movies have released to commemorate the loss of these girls. The first one was named Radium City and released in 1987, and the second, recently released in 2018, with the title “Radium Girls.” A novel has also been written by author Kate Moore. Still, the story of their pain and suffering lay hidden and their bodies still glow in the deeply buried coffins.
Every 15 seconds, somewhere in the world, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the deadliest diseases of the woman worldwide. It contributes 22 percent of all of the newly diagnosed cancer cases in women.
In Asia, Pakistan is the central hub of this disease, and the data in this regard is alarming. According to research, 90000 cases are diagnosed every year, out of which 40000 dies. Women above 50 years are more prone to this disease, but it is also affecting younger women and men too.
Breast cancer is basically the abnormal growth of cells in breast tissues; cells form a tumor that can be felt as a lump or seen on x-ray. Not all the lumps are malignant; some are benign – abnormal growths that do not spread outside of the breast. A benign is not life-threatening until it is pressing on nearby tissues, nerves, or blood vessels causing damage.
A breast is made of lobules that produce milk, ducts that carry milk to the nipples and connective tissues that surround and hold everything together. Breast cancers usually begin in the duct or the glands that produce milk. Sometimes it affects other tissues of the breast, causing sarcomas and lymphomas that are not traditionally considered as breast cancer.
Anatomy of the Female Breast
Types of Breast Cancer
There are two common kinds of breast cancers.
Invasive Ductal carcinoma (IDC), also known as infiltrating ductal carcinoma, is the most common type of breast cancer. It begins in the duct that carries milk from the lobules to the nipples, and as the name indicates, it is “invasive,” which means it spreads to other tissues of the breast. It can also affect lymph nodes and other parts of the body if not treated at an early stage. Almost 80% of breast cancers are invasive ductal carcinoma, which is more likely seen in elderly women of age- 55 or so. It can also affect men.
Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common type of breast cancer, mainly affecting women of older age. It breaks through the walls of lobules and invades other tissues of the breast and other organs of the body.
About 10% of the breast cancers are invasive lobular carcinoma; it occurs later than the invasive ductal carcinoma- in the early 60s. Hormone replacement therapy is used during and after menopause can increase the risk of ILC.
Inherited Breast Cancer
According to a rough estimate, 5-10% of breast cancers are inherited caused by the passage of mutated genes from parents to offsprings.
Inherited breast cancers are associated with the mutation in the BRCA genes; BRCA1 (BReast CAncer gene one) and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer gene two). The primary function of these genes is to repair cell damage and maintain the normal growth of breast and ovaries. Mutation in one of the two BRCA genes can highly increase the risk of breast cancer. If someone has a strong family history of breast cancer, the doctor will recommend a blood test to identify mutations in the BRCA gene that may be passed to the patient from his parents.
How Breast Cancer Spreads?
Breast cancer mainly spreads in the body through blood vessels or the lymph system.
The lymph system is composed of lymphatic vessels that connect the lymph nodes throughout the body. Lymph vessels carry the lymph fluid away from the breast; cancer cells can enter this fluid and can travel to lymph nodes through the lymph vessels and can start to grow there. Most of the lymph vessels connect to the lymph nodes, under the arm, around the collar bone, or inside the chest near the Breast bone. Greater the lymph nodes with cancer cells, higher is the chance that it will invade other body organs by traveling through the lymph circulatory system.
The hematogenous route is the other way of spread through the blood vessels. Blood vessels take the cancer cells from one organ of the body to the other
Breast Cancer stages
Stage Zero
Stage 0 includes all the non-invasive breast cancers such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), but it doesn’t spread to other breast tissues.
Stage One
Stage I refers to all invasive breast cancers. Stage I is divided into subcategories known as IA and IB.
In stage IA, tumor size measures up to 2cm, but it does not spread outside the breast to the surrounding lymph nodes
In stage IB, tumor size measures between 0.2-2mm, involving lymph nodes. Stage 0 and I are highly treatable
Stage Two
In stage 2, cancer is invasive but still localized in the breast cells. It is divided into two subcategories
In stage IIA, either the patient doesn’t have a tumor, but the cancer cells are present in less than four axillary lymph nodes, or tumor size is less than 2 cm, and less than four axillary lymph nodes have cancer cells, or the tumor size is more significant than 2cm but doesn’t involve any lymph nodes.
In stage IIB, either the patient has a tumor of size 2-5 centimeters and has spread to less than four axillary lymph nodes, or have cancer more massive than 5 cm but doesn’t involve any lymph nodes
Stage II requires strong treatment as compared to earlier stages.
Stage Three
Cancer at this stage is invasive and more advanced. It is further divided into 3 subcategories
In stage IIIA, either tumor is less than 2 cm, and cancer has spread to 4-9 lymph nodes, or the tumor size is greater than 5 cm, and small clusters of cancer cells are present in the lymph nodes, or cancer may have spread into the lymph nodes, in underarm and breastbone.
In stage IIIB, the tumor can be of any size. The cancer cell has spread to the breastbone or skin and invaded up to 9 lymph nodes.
In stage IIIC, either no tumor is present, or tumor is of any size. Cancer cells may have invaded over 10 lymph nodes present near collarbone, breastbone, or underarm. Treatments at this stage include
Radiation
Mastectomy
Hemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Stage Four
At this stage, breast cancer has invaded other body organs. The organs that are mainly affected include; Brain, Bone, Lungs, and Liver.
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Symptoms of breast cancer include :
Swelling of all or part of the breast
Skin irritation or dimpling
Breast pain
Nipple pain or the nipple turning in
Redness, itching, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
Nipple discharge other than breast milk-often in red, brown or yellow color
A lump around the collarbone or in the underarm area
Enlargement of one breast
Visible veins on the breast
Vaginal pain
Unintentional weight loss
Having one of these symptoms doesn’t vitally mean you have breast cancer, it can also be caused by an infection. You must consult your doctor first for a complete evaluation.
Breast cancer – the deadliest disease of women worldwide
Diagnostic Tests
Early diagnosis can turn the story of breast cancer into a survivor’s tale. Some basic diagnostic tests include
Physical Examination; The doctor will examine the patient’s breast physically to see any change in breast skin or nipple or if there is any nipple discharge or lump present.
Medical History; The doctor will ask the patient about his medical history and the medical history of his/her immediate relatives. Because sometimes breast cancers are linked to gene mutations passed through generations of family. The doctor will also ask the patient about his symptoms.
Mammogram; The doctor may use mammography. A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast. It is used for early detection of breast cancer, sometimes up to 3 years before it can be felt.
Ultrasound; Ultrasonic sound waves are used to produce an image of the internal structure of the breast. The doctor usually goes for an ultrasound if they find any abnormality during the physical examination of the breast or the mammogram.
MRI; It is the magnetic resonance imaging mainly used for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to help measure the size of disease or to look for other tumors in the breast.
Biopsy; During a breast biopsy, the doctor removes tissue or sometimes fluid from the suspicious area that is later examined in the lab to check for the presence of cancerous cells.
Prevention
As the causes of breast cancer are not entirely known, but the treatments are way better than before, and now we know more ways to prevent the disease, which together can have a significant impact.
Breast Self-Exam
Women should occasionally inspect their breasts and the armpit area to check if there is thickening or hardened knot in the chest, change in nipple size, unusual discharge from the nipple, or a new lump in the breast.
Johns Hopkins Medical center states, “Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important.”
Maintain Healthy Weight
Obesity is the root cause of many severe diseases, including cancer. If you are overweight, increase the amount of exercise in your daily life and burn your extra calories. Being overweight can increase the risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause.
Be Physically Active
Adopt a healthy lifestyle- having a lot of physical activities, including exercise. The women who are physically active or do yoga for at least 30 minutes have a lower risk of breast cancer.
Healthy Diet
Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts may have a reduced risk of breast cancer. Try to eat plant-based foods, such as fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, and fish instead of red meat.
Don’t smoke and alcohol
Smoking and drinking increase the risk of heart diseases, stroke, and at least 15 cancers, including breast cancer- now that’s enough motivation to stay smoke-free.
Avoid Postmenopausal Hormones
There is a lot of controversy regarding postmenopausal hormones- some women take it after menopause to prevent chronic diseases like osteoporosis or heart diseases; they are considered to lower the rate of a specific condition and may increase the risk of others. Studies show that both estrogen-only hormones and estrogen-plus-progestin hormones increase the risk of breast cancer. So avoid taking postmenopausal hormones for a long time that may have a mixed effect on your health.
Avoid Birth control Pills
Birth control pills have both benefits and risks. It can lower the risk of ovarian cancer, colonial cancer, uterine cancer, and unwanted pregnancy, but it can increase the risk of breast cancer in women. The younger the woman is, the lower the risk is as compared to the woman of older age.
Breastfeeding for a year or more can lower the risk of breast cancer. It is also very beneficial for the child.
Don’t forget screening
Talk to your doctor when to begin breast screening exams after discussing all the benefits and risks affiliated with it. For most women, regular mammograms can begin at age 40, but specific recommendations vary by age and risk.
If you are aged 40 – 44: You can choose to begin annual mammograms but after consultation with your doctor about the benefits and risks.
If you are aged 45 – 54: Mammogram is recommended every year.
If you are aged 55 or over: Mammogram is recommended every other year.
Find your Family History
Women with a strong family history of cancer have a higher risk of breast cancer. Women having their mother, sister, or any other immediate family member who developed breast or ovarian cancer (especially at an early age) or prostate cancer are at a higher risk and should take proper steps and consult their doctor or genetic counselor.
There are 3 medicines available for the women at an increased risk of breast cancer, Approved by FDA
Tamoxifen – for women who either have or have not been through the menopause
Anastrozole – for women who have been through the menopause
Raloxifene – for women who have been through the menopause
These medicines can lower the risk, but they do have side effects, so take them only after consultation with the doctor. Some women with a very high risk of breast cancer choose to have their healthy breasts surgically removed (prophylactic mastectomy) to reduce the risk.
Treatments
With advancements in the fields of medicine, cancer treatments are also getting better, and now we have more advanced ways to treat it. Treatment of breast cancer basically depends on
The type of breast cancer
The size of the tumor and how far cancer has spread in the body
If cancer has things called “receptors” for HER2 protein, estrogen, and progesterone, or other specific features.
Age of patient, menopause history of a patient, and other health conditions are considered while making a decision.
People with breast cancer often get more than one kind of treatment, depending on the stage:
Surgery where the doctor removes the whole breast, called a mastectomy, or removes just the tumor and tissues around it, called a lumpectomy or breast-conserving surgery.
Radiation Therapy uses high energy waves to kill cancer cells.
Chemo Therapy uses drugs to shrink or kill cancer cells. These drugs can be used in the form of pills or medicines injected in the patient’s veins. These drugs are potent in fighting the disease but have side effects too, including hair loss, early menopause, fatigue, nausea, and hot flashes.
Hormone Therapy uses drugs to block the hormones, mainly estrogen, from assisting the growth of cancer cells. It may also include the use of medications or surgery to stop ovaries from making hormones. Side effects of these drugs include vaginal dryness and hot flashes.
Targeted Therapy uses drugs to activate the body’s immune system to fight against cancer, and it basically focuses on breast cancer cells that have a high level of a protein called HER2.
In countries like Pakistan, women’s health has never been a serious topic to discuss. There are a lot of young girls out there who might go undiagnosed from the fear of talking about disease and lose their lives to this disease.
Experts from Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital while addressing a seminar said,” The main reason for high growing breast cancer is traditional Pakistani society; there is no system of collecting data and keeping a record of cancer cases.”
Early detection of breast cancer is the key to survival. Now, it is the responsibility of all to spread awareness individually, promote awareness for the regular examination, screening, and donate to cancer societies, hospitals, and people who need funds for treatment. We all have to join hands in this battle against cancer.
Do have a regular check-up and also encourage others that might save one’s life.
