Hundreds of breast cancer organizations exist in the United States and even more exist around the world. For decades now breast cancer organizations have sought to raise funds and to pay for research into breast cancer. This research has led to a much greater understanding of the disease, new breast cancer treatment options and it is hoped one day will lead to a cure for breast cancer.
One of the problems in finding a cure for breast cancer lies in our lack of understanding of breast cancer and cancer in general. While many great strides have been made over the years in understanding how cancer works, the fact is we still don't know enough about it. There is still a great amount of work that must be done in order to achieve the goal of one day having a cure for breast cancer.
Perhaps the strongest leader in the United States in the fight for a cure for breast cancer is the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The Susan G. Komen Foundation was formed on a promise between two sisters. Susan G. Komen, dying of breast cancer, asked her sister, Nancy Brinker, to fight to find a cure for breast cancer. This was in 1978, the year of Susan G. Komen's death. She was only 36 years old.
Nancy Brinker stayed true to her word to her dying sister. In 1982 the Susan G. Komen Foundation was created. Its goal is to raise funds in support of breast cancer research as well as into increasing breast cancer awareness and fostering breast cancer education. It is the fundamental goal of the Susan G. Komen Foundation to one day find a cure for breast cancer that will eradicate the disease once and for all.
Although there is currently still no cure for breast cancer, women suffering from breast cancer will still find that there are many breast cancer treatment options. The most common of breast cancer treatment options are local treatments. These are referred to as local treatments because they target just the area where the cancer is found, either the tumor itself or the entire breast.
There are two basic surgeries which are performed when a local treatment of breast cancer is made. A mastectomy is a removal of the breast where the cancer is found. This is the most radical of breast cancer treatments but it is also one of the most effective. Following the mastectomy the patient will then generally undergo radiation therapy where the breast used to be to kill off any remains of the cancer.
A lumpectomy is another common surgery done during the treatment of breast cancer. It involves the removal of the entire cancerous tumor from the breast. This treatment is also followed by radiation therapy.
Although we are still in search of a cure for breast cancer, we are working to learn more about this killing disease. The more work and research that is done, the better breast cancer treatment options will be and the closer we will come to a final cure for breast cancer.