A Literature Review: Education's Impact on Breast Cancer Patients

This literature review examines the critical role of education in the lives of breast cancer patients. The review explores various aspects, including the prevalence of breast cancer, the importance of early detection, and the different types of breast cancer. It highlights the significance of education in raising awareness about risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options. The review emphasizes the differences between educated and uneducated individuals in terms of their knowledge, lifestyle choices, and quality of life, showcasing how education can empower patients and improve their overall well-being. It also discusses the impact of education on the quality of life for breast cancer patients, emphasizing the need for comprehensive educational programs to improve patient outcomes. The review underscores the importance of education in promoting healthy behaviors and reducing the incidence of breast cancer.

Running head: IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
1. Literature Review
1.1. Breast cancer patient:
One of the common forms of cancer (2nd most) is breast cancer. Breast cancer is
usually found in women. According to Talbert and Frazier (2019), breast cancer is commonly
detected in women but can be witnessed in both male and female bodies. Breast cancer
patients can be categorized in regards to the type of breast cancer and the severity. There are
various forms of breast cancers, which are witnessed in patients including, angiosarcoma,
ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), Invasive Lobular carcinoma, male breast cancer,
inflammatory breast cancer, recurrent breast cancer and Paget’s disease in breast cancer. The
patients of breast cancer reflect the following symptoms, a thickening or lump, which feels
like various tissues are surrounding a gland. Another sign can be changing size, appearance
and shape of the breast(s). As stated by Waldman et al. (2019), improving skin colour and
inverted nipple can also be alarming signs of breast cancer. Crusting, scaling, peeling and
flaking are another set of symptoms in breast cancer. During the year 2016, around 55,220
new cases of breast cancer were witnessed in the country, United Kingdom. During 2016,
about 54,500 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in female and 360 breast cancer cases
amongst male patients. In breast cancer, ductal carcinoma is considered to be the most
common form of breast cancer that emerges with the milk lining in the ducts. The risk factors
witnessed with breast cancer involves obesity, low rate of physical activities, hormonal,
alcoholism, replacement surgery, menopause and radiations, old age and even hereditary
(Engmann et al., 2017).
The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in the United Kingdom has changed in
the United Kingdom in comparison with the past. As per Lukong (2017), during the 1970s,
one in every four patients could survive for almost ten years; however, with passing the time
and elevating technological advancement, the rate started increasing. Nevertheless, the

2IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
scenario is still alarming, due to the lack of awareness and education regarding the disease,
symptoms and existing treatments. Cancer Research institution of United Kingdom aims at
increasing the rate of successful treatments by increasing the number of survival cases to that
of the total cancer patients (Anastasi & Lusher, 2019). By the year 2034, around 3 out of 4
people suffering from cancer is expected to survive with ten plus years of life. This vision can
act as a driving force amongst the government to introduce newer treatments, technological
advancements, equipment revolution and most significantly, educating general public and
breast cancer patients. It is majorly anticipated that the rates of global cancer will elevate by
around 50 percent by the year 2020. According to a study conducted through funds from the
federal government that, most women with breast cancer does not necessarily need
chemotherapy post-surgery (Janelsins et al., 2017). This funded study was conducted in the
year 2018, on June 3rd in the Clinical Oncology meeting of American Society in Chicago. The
study was also published by the New England Journal of Medicine. This study can change the
form of breast cancer diagnosis in patients and the treatment procedures. The study witnessed
around 6,711 women under the age range of 11 till 25 in a trial. The study focussed at
understanding the priority or necessity of chemotherapy on women.
1.2. Education
It is a well-known fact that Breast Cancer is one of the most common cancers in
women. As rightly stated by Akram et al. (2017), most of us are unaware of the facts that
cause this issue in women, whereas it is essential to know about the same. Evidence and
research state that several life-cycle factors are responsible for this issue. Life cycle factors
involve diet, body weight, as well as mental and physical activities. Proper education on
breast cancer is a requirement in the current scenario to let the women prevent themselves
from such a growing health condition. Most of the people are not aware of the early
prevention of breast cancer. According to Sciomer et al. (2018), the prevention mechanism
and factors contributing to breast cancer is not only the responsibility of women but also the

3IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
men. Every people irrespective of their genders must be aware of any kind of diseases and
how to prevent them. Analysis of most of the literature suggests that irrespective of the socio-
economic condition of the women and their educational backgrounds, they have a low
literacy rate in regards to breast cancer. There is an urgent requirement for raising awareness
and engaging the health system and society at large to help to improve the breast cancer
literacy globally. The lack of knowledge of the patients the patients come to the doctor at
such a stage that there remains little or no scope of curing the same. Education on breast
cancer and awareness program on the same will contribute to shifting the stage of
presentation of the condition to the doctors. As stated by O’Mahony et al. (2017), WHO aims
in educating both men and women so that the men can understand early detection in the
partners and reduce the barriers of seeking care. The education for this condition has been
now implemented at the preliminary levels. The understanding of the issue must be clear
enough to the women from the younger ages only. Implementation of breast cancer
educational programs for adolescents is acceptable and feasible in all regions. According to
Liu et al. (2018), education and transfer of knowledge help in promoting the intergenerational
transmission of knowledge to the relatives as well, which acts as population-based health
awareness education globally. Education is one of the most valuable tools for reducing breast
cancer and downstaging it. Quality school and college health education provide an
opportunity to promote positive health behaviour. People can be aware of the facts that can
contribute to the condition and prevent themselves beforehand. As per Wanchai et al. (2016),
ageing, family history, reproductive history, genetic mutations, radiation therapy treatments,
taking of drugs, consumption of tobacco and consumption of alcohol are some of the factor
contributing to breast cancers that can be known by the people at large only through
education. According to Rowe and Schapmire (2020), if opportunistic breast cancer
education programs and screening programs can be taught to the people at large, then people
will be able to know about the various methods of curing the condition. Where there is no or

4IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
limited access to mammography, proper education will help them detect their condition at
early stages, and they do not need to incur such a huge cost of mammography. Therefore
education is the key to prevent breast cancer.
1.3. People having education Vs Those who do not have
According to Talbert (2019), people who have educational support for breast cancer
tend to have more knowledge about the prevention of the same. Several breast health
education programs are formed to spread awareness across the world. This helps in early
detection of symptoms and taking care from the initial stage itself. The people who do not
receive the educational are unaware of the symptoms of breast cancers (Alameer et al., 2019).
They generally can detect their problem at a later stage, when it becomes difficult for the
doctors to cure the same. People who get an education on this can know more about the
techniques of breast cancer and the risk factors that are associated with breast malignancies.
As stated by Rasheed (2020), educational intervention changes lifestyle, and a healthy
lifestyle helps in prevention of breast cancer and several other forms of cancer as well.
Educational awareness among people improves knowledge and increases the Breast Self
Examination practice in women. Women without education have high-risk factors, whereas
once education is provided to them, they will show significant improvements and help in the
empowerment of women in fighting against breast cancer. As per Parker et al. (2018), people
who get the education can distinguish between the risk factors that can be changed and the
risk factors that cannot be changed in case of breast cancers. The risk factors that cannot be
changed are gender, age, race, personal history, genetic risk factors, family history, and age at
menstruation, age at menopause, radiation, DES exposure, breast density, atypical
hyperplasia and serum estradiol level. The risk factors that can be changed and prevented are
physical activity, obesity, consumption of alcohol, breastfeeding, hormone replacement
theory, smoking and intake of fruits and vegetables. Thus it is evident that people who have
educational support can better prevent themselves from the disease as compared to the people

5IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
who do not have the support. As stated by the World Health Organization, one third of the
cancer is preventable if it is recognized at an early stage. Those who have received education
are aware of how dangerous breast cancer can be; they are aware of the screening exams and
the self-breast exams. Breast cancer is also a result of the quality of the life people live.
Generally, people with proper education tend to have a better quality of life, whereas people
without education are not aware of the same.
1.4. Quality of life
According to Pane and Patriana (2016), education is the basic requirement for
enriching a quality life. It is the key to help people in understanding themselves and the
others in this world. Education means passing of knowledge, skills and thoughts that are
important in the well being of the society. The current education system is designed in order
to strengthen the knowledge economy. The strengthening of the knowledge economy helps in
creating awareness in the minds of the people in regards to several problems associated with
life. Better education helps in getting more knowledge about creating a healthy life. The term
quality of life is multidimensional in nature. Measurements of quality of life involve
subjective and objective measures that determine the level of welfare in human being.
Education empowers society in the accumulation of knowledge, skills and values to the
different generations (Nowicki, Trybulska & Rhone, 2018). It helps in the enhancement of
people's ability to understand the place where they live in and thereafter increases the ability
to influence it. The misconceptions prevailing in the society are removed by awareness
created through educational programs. As stated by Muliira, Salas and O’Brien (2017),
removal of misconceptions strengthens the quality of life. According to the World Health
Organization Quality of life is the perception of individuals about their position in life with
reference to culture and value systems and in regards to the goals, concerns, standards and
expectations. People those who have limited skills and exposure to education are excluded
from better jobs and better economic benefits. Education is also one of the important

6IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
predictors of the health status of individuals. Various studies have proved that people having
higher education tends to have a higher degree of emotional well being. Poor education, on
the other hand reduces psychological well being.
In regards to the breast cancer patient education helps in creating awareness about the
several causes and effects of the disease. According to Luo and Tang (2018), if both the male
and the female are being educated on the disease then they can understand the symptoms at
an early stage and the male partners can also be aware of the precautions that are needed to be
taken at the early stages. Better educational awareness will reduce those activities in both
males and females that can result in breast cancer. This will help in creating a positive mental
attitude and a healthy life. People will not need to panic if they can understand the symptom
at the early stage, which will reduce mental pressure. This will also result in better health
conditions, and good health means a happy life (Boelens et al., 2018). One of the most
important things is that education imparts knowledge that helps in acquiring better jobs.
Better jobs mean better economic resources. The chances of getting hired and being promoted
are much more in cases of educated people as compared to those who are not educated. Thus
the educated people can acquire the economic or rather the financial power to properly treat
breast cancer. As already discussed above, breast cancer screening and mammography
require a massive amount of money. Educated people are able to gather themselves those
financial resources, unlike the uneducated ones. This provides them with the opportunity to
increase the quality of life. Breast cancer is such a disease that affects the mental condition of
the patients and the mental conditions of the closed ones associated with the patients.
Awareness and education on the same help in taking precautions and safety steps rather than
panicking. Better physical and mental health is imparted to human beings through education,
and better health means an improvement in the quality of life.
Quality of life also suggests the amount of anxiety and depression that is gone through
by the patient. It consists of a number of factors like the physical functioning, psychological

7IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
support, social support and mental well being. As stated by Ou et al. (2019), health care
personnel are trained and allotted to the breast cancer patients for counselling them on the
disease and helping them in taking precautions, which allows the patients to stay stable at the
time of diagnosis. As correctly stated by Kishore and Prathyusha (2017), proper diagnosis
and regular counselling help in creating mental stability within the patients. Many people can
lose their breasts while treatment of cancer, which can cause severe mental impact. However,
with regular counselling and proper support from the family and society, the mental condition
of the patient can be improved. Studies have shown that most patients go through a poor
mental condition and a poor quality of life before the treatment while after the treatment of
the same the situation gets better and the patients tend to enjoy a better quality of life.
CASP Framework
Section A- Analysis of the Results of the Review
Questions Yes No Can’t Tell Comments

8IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
Did the Literature
Review is capable of
addressing the clearly
focused question?
 From the
analysis of the
literature review,
it can be
analyzed that the
entire definition
along with
detailed analysis
on the
importance of
education on the
life of the breast
cancer patients
have been
capable of
creating a high
level of impact
Did the different authors
look for the right type of
papers in researching
and analyzing?
 The different
authors who are
included in the
process have
been capable of
researching
through both
qualitative along
with quantitative

9IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
aspects that
helped them in
understanding
the viewpoints of
the different
individuals
belonging from
different kinds of
countries
According to you, do you
think the different and
relevant studies are
included in the process?
 On the other
hand, there could
have been usage
of the
quantitative
studies to a
certain extent
and more which
will be effective
in improving the
research and
make it highly
effective in
nature as well
Did the review of the
authors do enough for
assessing the quality of
 The quality of
the articles
which have been

10IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
the included studies selected are
effective and
100% authentic
which provides
every detailing
of the different
studies in
managing the
effectiveness of
the study
successfully
From the analysis of the CASP framework, it can be analyzed that the review of the
literature review can be helpful for improving the effectiveness of the same in an efficient
manner.
Compare and Contrast of Articles
In the respective article, the main focus has been provided on the knowledge practices
which need to be implemented in the different schools and colleges as well as other courses
should be implemented. It will be capable of making ease the anxiety of the unknown. In the
minds of the individuals, education is the cornerstone for the quality of care for cancer in
different countries. On the other hand, as commented by Alameer et al. (2019), it has been
seen noticed that there should be a proper initiative which needs to be taken for increasing the
level of participation of the young breast cancer survivors for making them understand that it
is not the end of life and they need to be aware regarding the treatment and medications
which will be capable of improving the condition successfully. In the case of The United

11IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
States of America, it has been noticed that breast cancer is the common malignant tumour
among young women whose age is between 15 to 39 years old.
In addition, as commented by Rowe and Schapmire (2020), the different educational
programs play a vital role in the prevention of breast cancer among the different individuals
in a suitable manner. The major purpose of the study is to understand and analyze the
effectiveness of the health education programs in making the different survivors feel that
there are scopes in which their lives can be saved and it will be helping them in coping up
with such diseases in an efficient manner. The education to the different public regarding the
risk factors along with prevention strategies remains the major challenge for preventing
cancer.
As commented by Suminski et al. (2017), the education is the paramount for the
reducing behavior which will be putting the different individuals at the risk for cancer such as
reduction in the level of smoking as well as developing better techniques related to screening
interventions such as there is availability of the vaccines which need to be implemented for
improving the health conditions of the patients in a suitable manner. Numerous kinds of
cancers are preventable; however, the different strategies for preventing them are either not
accessible or not being adopted. It will be leaving the people at risk. It has been noticed that
people need to understand the different concerns, such as reducing the behaviour of
individuals who are suffering from cancer (Suminski et al., 2017).
In addition, pesticide exposure is the other risk factor which needs to be analyzed as it
is increasing the number of cancer patients to a large extent. The different children, along
with adolescents of the particular ethnic origins who are residing in different geographical
locations and they are having the disproportionate kinds of exposure risks to the carcinogenic
pesticides. In the different cases, the main aspect is related to the effect which has been
created on the different patients who are the survivors, and they are unaware of the exposure

12IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON BREAST CANCER PATIENTS’ LIFE
risks in a negative manner (Rowe & Schapmire, 2020). The prevention can be including the
reduction in the behaviour which will be putting the individuals at risk of cancer, and it will
be making the individuals in a negative manner. The increase in access to early cancer and it
will be beneficial in improving the risks of cancer in a proper manner without much
difficulty.
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