Breast Cancer Prevalence and Risk Factors in Australia

Running head: BREAST CANCER PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS 1
Breast Cancer Prevalence and Risk Factors in Australia
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BREAST CANCER PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS 2
Breast Cancer Prevalence and Risk Factors in Australia
Introduction
Breast cancer is among the leading causes of deaths in the world. The cancer cells
develop in the tissues of the breast, especially the ducts and lobules. About 10% of women in
Australia develop breast cancer in their life time. Breast cancer is the second most prevalent
type of cancer in Australia after skin cancer. Breast cancer normally occurs in women, and
sometimes, it may also be observed in men due to some social, behavioral, environmental,
and biomedical risk factors (Autier et al., 2010). This paper succinctly analyses a case study
about a woman called Jade, who lives with her son Miller in South West Sydney.
Description of Breast Cancer and its Prevalence
Breast cancer is the leading type of cancer in women. The interaction of various
determinants increases the incidences of the disease in women, and the prevalence depends
on the lifestyle of an individual. The epidemiological data obtained from breast cancer
screening in Australia have shown that more than sixteen thousand people had breast cancer
(Branley, 2015). The incidences of breast cancer are higher in women as compared to men. In
this case, more than fifteen people screened with breast cancer were women, while less than
five hundred patients were men.
The prevalence of breast cancer is higher in those people who smoke tobacco and
consume a large amount of alcohol. The incidences of breast cancer have also increased in
Australia in the last twenty years as a result of the changes in the lifestyles of the people.
Breast cancer is also related to age because the cases of the disease are lower in girls as
compared to women who have reached menopause stage (Chen et al., 2011). From the case
study, the development of breast cancer on Jade might have resulted from genetic factors. It

BREAST CANCER PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS 3
is mentioned that Jade's mother had died from breast cancer; therefore, Jade is likely to have
inherited the disease from her mother.
Analysis of the Social and Environmental Determinants Relating to the Breast Cancer
Social and environmental factors contribute to the occurrence and incidences of breast
cancer in most parts of the world (Owen et al., 2010). The social determinants contribute to
the changes in the lifestyle of the person. From the analysis of the case scenario, it is evident
that Jade has been an active social smoker and consumes a lot of alcohol daily. These
personal behaviors contributed to the development of her breast cancer. Prolonged
consumption of alcohol increases the risks of breast cancer (Luxford, Safran & Delbanco,
2011). Overweight is another social factor that might have contributed to the development of
breast cancer in Jade. Being overweight results in the deposition of too many fats in the
breast tissues. Dense tissues increase the risk of breast cancer occurrence. Another factor that
might have also contributed to Jade's breast cancer is lack of physical activities. In this case,
sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of breast cancer because it leads to the deposition of fats
in the body and also in the breast tissues. Jade's overweight might have resulted from the
sedentary lifestyle.
Services Available for People with Breast Cancer in Australian Health Systems
The Australian government has made a lot of efforts to ensure that the affected people
receive appropriate medical services from qualifies specialists based in most of the healthcare
systems in the country. One of the services is the Medicare services provided by the
government through levying and taxation. The aim of providing Medicare services is to
promote quality healthcare provision to all people regardless of their financial status
(Kirkeleit et al., 2013). This service is provided Peter MacCallum and Melbourne Hospital.
Another service available for Jade and other people with breast cancer is breast surgery. This