Female+Breast+Cancer+Patients+After+Mastectomy-Carole+Roberts

= =  **// Females Facing Mastectomy //**

“You have breast cancer” may be the most frightening words a woman ever hears. A woman who hears this for this first time probably won’t remember anything the physician tells them and will not have any idea on how to begin dealing with the problem.

What Is Breast Cancer? Cancer begins in the cells, the building blocks that make up tissues. The organs of the body are made up of tissues. Cells grow, divide, and die. New cells take their place and breast cancer is the result of abnormal cells. They divide and grow to form cancer tumors in the breast. If untreated, the cells can metastasize and spread to lymph nodes or other organs in the body. (National Cancer Institute)

Facts and Figures: (American Cancer Society Facts and Figures) Treatment Options: > (National Cancer Institute, 2009) > (Lange, 2010) __For the purposes of this assignment, we will explore more about mastectomies and the losses and stressors women face as a result.__
 * Excluding cancer of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, accounting for nearly 1 in 3 cancer diagnosed in the United States.
 * During 2004-2008, the median age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis was 61 years. This means that 50% of women who developed breast cancer were 61 years of age or younger at the time of diagnosis.
 * African American women have a higher incidence rate before 40 years of age and are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age.
 * Based on the most recent data, relative survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer are:
 * 89% at five years after diagnosis
 * 82% after 10 years
 * 77% after 15 years
 * A woman living in the United States has a 12.5%, or a 1 in 8, life time risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
 * //Radiation therapy// uses high energy beams to destroy cancer cells. Radiation destroys the cells abilities to grow and multiply.
 * //Chemotherapy// uses drugs (called cytoxic drugs) to destroy cancer cells throughout the blood stream. However, in the process, it also destroys healthy cells, which can be rebuilt. Chemotherapy can be given through an IV or in some cases, orally.
 * //Hormone therapy// is used, in most cases, after chemotherapy to prevent cancer cells from growing by changing normal body processes. These drugs block estrogen and progesterone at the receptor site of the cells.
 * //Targeted therapy// is used to kill cancer cells directly.
 * //Surgery//is used to remove the cancerous cells from the body. There are two options for surgery.
 * 1) A //lumpectomy// is a surgical procedure which removes the tumor, while conserving the breast.
 * 2) A //mastectomy// is a surgical procedure in which the whole breast is removed.

What Can Be Expected?

[]

When Preparing for Mastectomy
 * Assemble A Support Network Made Up of Friends, Family, and Healthcare Workers
 * Gather Information And Become Well Informed On Diagnosis and Surgery Options
 * Ask Questions

"...Mastectomy. What a horrible word. An ending--the removal of something so essential to womanhood. But is it? No, I think not. Womanhood stems from our hearts and minds. If necessary, I would sacrifice my breast to save my life." Mary Platt; diagnosed in 1998 at age 47 (Delinsky, 2006)

Losses

What Is The Primary Loss? The primary loss is the loss of the breast.

What Is The Secondary Loss? The secondary losses identified include a loss of a sense of femininity and a loss of identity.

For many women, having breasts signifies that you are a woman and you are viewed as very feminine. You perceive yourself as very feminine and also perceive others view of you as feminine, as well. The loss of the breast can reverse these feelings. A loss of identity, secondary to losing the breasts, may also be a side effect. For many women, they take pride in the way that their body looks, from the top of the head all the way down to the feet. Losing the breast(s) can cause severe effects on a woman.

Life Oriented Stressors and Processes To Address Each


 * **//Stressor//** || **//Process//** ||
 * How To Look At Self In Mirror || Positive Feedback, Positive Self Talk ||
 * How To Look At Self Naked || Positive Self Talk and Positive Encouragement From Spouse ||
 * How To Share Self With Partner || Trust, Attending Pure Romance Party Designed For Cancer Patients ||
 * All of the above processes are adaptive.

Anticipatory grief may be experienced as the woman wonders what her life and body will be like post mastectomy.

Grief Related Stressors and Processes To Address Each
 * **//Stressor//** || **//Process//** ||
 * Anger || Journaling to Express Feelings ||
 * Resentment || Self Reflection, Acceptance ||
 * Sadness || Taking Part in Enjoyable Activities Such As Support Groups ||
 * Regret || Acceptance/Becoming An Advocate for Early Detection and Self Checks ||
 * All of the above processes are adaptive.
 * The above grief related stressors have been identified, but are only of the few stressors one may experience.

“When my husband hugged me, I told him I was frightened. I shed a few tears. The image of how my breast would look after the surgery hit me. Charles reassured me that he would love me regardless of how it looked. When I apologized for crying, he said he was glad to see my finally acting “normal” about the situation. “ Sandy Williams; diagnosed in 1999 at age 51 (Delinsky, 2006)

There is not a “right” way to react to a cancer diagnosis or to being told that mastectomy is in the treatment plan. What is “normal” for one person may be abnormal for another person.

While there are losses associated with having cancer and undergoing a mastectomy, there are also positive changes that have been reported by cancer patients.
 * appreciation for the strength of their bodies
 * peace
 * gratitude
 * awareness and appreciation for life
 * shift in priorities

A diagnosis of cancer impacts self esteem, body image, sexuality, and even outlook on survival. For those facing cancer and a mastectomy, life will never be the same and will leave a sense of loss for the person. It is important for the person to take time to grieve the loss and move forward from the cancer experience. (Lange, 2010)

References

National Cancer Institute. (2009). What you need to know about breast cancer. Retrieved from **[]**

American Cancer Society. Breast cancer facts and figures 2011-2012. Atlanta: American Cancer Society, Inc. Retrieved from []

Delinsky, Barbara. (2006). //Uplift: Secrets from the sisterhood of breast cancer survivors.// New York, New York: Washington Square Press.

Lange, Vladimir. (2010). //Be a survivor: Your guide to breast cancer treatment// (5th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Lange Productions. Self Image and Cancer. (2010). Retrieved []