Breast Cancer Proposal.edited.docx - 1 Research Proposal A...

1
Research Proposal
A Critical Evaluation on How Breast Cancer Screening Prevents Breast Cancer Compared
To Women Who Do Not Receive Breast Cancer Screening
(By Name)
Institutional Affiliation
Course Number and Name
Instructors Name
Assignment Due Date

2
Section 1
Background of the study
In the United States, women are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with breast
cancer than any other type of cancer (Shieh et al., 2020). There are many different types of breast
cancer, but the most common is invasive, which means it has spread beyond the breast tissue and
into surrounding tissues or organs (Ahmad, 2019). Invasive breast cancer can be classified as
follows: About 78% of all cases of invasive breast cancer are HER2-positive (a type of genetic
marker that helps doctors determine how likely a tumor is to spread). About 12% of all cases of
invasive breast cancer are triple-negative (a type of genetic marker that doesn’t help doctors
determine how likely a tumor is to spread) (Ahmad, 2019). About 2% of all cases of invasive
breast cancer are BRCA-positive (a type of genetic marker that helps doctors determine how
likely a tumor is to spread).
There are many different breast cancer screening tests, but mammography is the most
common. Mammography uses X-rays to take pictures of the breasts. A digital image
(mammogram) can be saved to be reviewed later by a doctor. Mammography can identify some
types of breast cancer before it becomes invasive, but it doesn’t always (Marinovich et al., 2018).
Breast cancer treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Surgery is the
most common treatment for invasive breast cancer (Marinovich et al., 2018). It involves
removing the tumor and any surrounding tissues or organs. Radiation therapy uses high-energy
waves to kill the tumor cells. It is usually given after surgery. Chemotherapy is a group of drugs
used to treat cancer. It can be given as a single treatment, in combination with radiation therapy
or surgery, or over months or years.

3
There is no one cure for breast cancer. However, treatments can often improve the quality
of life for people with the disease. Survival rates for invasive breast cancer vary depending on
the type and stage; but overall, most people survive it (Ahmad, 2019). About 10% of women
diagnosed with invasive breast cancer will die from the disease. However, the five-year survival
rate for women with invasive breast cancer is about 85%. That means about 15 out of 100
women will be alive five years after being diagnosed with the disease. The five-year survival rate
for women who have early-stage breast cancer is about 80%. That means about 18 out of 100
women will be alive five years after being diagnosed with the disease. About 5 out of 100
women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the
body) will survive five years. Some women may have long-term side effects from their
treatment, but most do not.