Jose Ducena

Jose Ducena

Date: 4/5/2012

Sociology: 321

Neenah.Estrella-Luna

Breast Cancer 

Source: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/researcher/community-health/masschip/topics/breast-cancer.html

Breast cancer is a cancer that originates in breast tissues, from malignant tumors that has risen as a result of mutations, or abnormal changes, in the genes responsible for regulating the growth of cells and keeping them healthy.Normally, the cells in our bodies replace themselves through an orderly process of cell growth where healthy new cells take over as old ones die out.Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. This is to describe the disease and what in entails, not elaborating on the agonizing journey the cancer takes its victims through, and sometimes claiming their lives if the disease is not treated early in its stages.

Looking at the chart located above, we can start to clearly see some differences against the 3 different races in Breast cancer Hospitalization. One would think, prior to the recording of this data, encountering this disease across the state of Massachusetts, including Provincetown would be inevitable, which I am almost certain must have been too low to record in the Massachusetts health and human service database.

To my findings, breast cancer hospitalizations were shown to be common amongst Caucasians state wide, a 35.6 percentage and even higher in Brockton, my current city of residence at a 44.7 percentage. However the Blacks were not too far behind, ranging at a 39.4, having a 3.8 difference higher than the white population. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation states that during the ravaging stages of breast cancer, African Americans are less likely to receive palliative care or Hospice care services. Less than 10 percent of all hospice patients are African Americans (rwjf.org), which deems from discrimination, refers to the neglect blacks have to suffer, and the noticeable margins of socio-economic differences between the black, white and Asian population.

In regards to the Asian population and hospitalization for breast cancer, the occurrence is virtually nonexistent. In both Provincetown and Brockton, there were no data shown for hospitalization in the area. State wide results show a 23.8 percentage, lower than both of the black and white race, when it came to the disease. The thought that comes to mind as to why the Asian population had significant lower breast cancer rates is simply the geographical location and dietary/nutrient consumption. As a result to the exercised diets, Asians are more likely to remain with known cultural customs which contributes to their overall health.

To conclude, the simple fact is illness knows no color or race, socioeconomic status, and age limit. Nature does not discriminate against anyone; it treats everyone with the same courtesy. A very bad one, to say the very least. Many feel with new found wealth they become untouchable. The forgotten fact is that not every tumor advances through the body at the same rate. The individual’s body defenses mechanism decides the faith, besides God himself. After receiving chemotherapy, stereoid boost for the immune system and other various methods used in hospitals. Nevertheless, not everyone is fortunate to receive this treatment methods. For minorities like African Americans or Blacks, their faith is decided based on race and socio-economic status. As shallow that may seem, this is the true meaning of being privileged.