BREAST CANCER MYTHS AND FACTS

This October, we have more to celebrate than warm weather and joyful sunshine-filled days. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a great time to learn more about the disease. Also, this is the time of the year when we hear tons of information about breast cancer. But how many of them are true? The internet can be a great help, but at the same time, it can be misleading as it is filled with a lot of myths and misconceptions about the disease.

In this article, we will have a look at some of the common myths and the facts about this chronic disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide. Once in a lifetime, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, making it one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers in women.

Ten Common Breast Cancer Myths and Facts.
  1. Myth: Using deodorant or antiperspirants cause breast cancer.

Fact: This is absolutely not true. Using deodorants or antiperspirants does not increase your risk of breast cancer. Women are advised to avoid using a deodorant, antiperspirant or talc containing aluminium when they go for a mammogram only because the aluminium might show up on the x-ray image and give an inaccurate reading.

  1. Myth: Wearing underwired bra can cause breast cancer.

Fact: Women need not be concerned about wearing underwired bras as it does not increase your risk of breast cancer. Scientific evidence does not support a link between wearing an underwire bra (or any type of bra) and breast cancer risk.

  1. Myth: Injury or trauma to the breast can cause breast cancer.

Fact: There is no evidence to support a link between trauma or injury to the breast and the risk of breast cancer.

  1. Myth: If you have a family history of breast cancer, you are likely to develop breast cancer.

Fact: While women who have a family history of breast cancer are in a higher risk group, most women who have diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history. Statistically, only about 10% of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of this disease.

  1. Myth: Breast cancer always forms a lump.

Fact: A lump in the breast may be a sign of breast cancer, but there are actually many other warning signs you need to know about!

  1. Myth: Men do not get breast cancer; it only affects women.

Fact: Breast cancer in men is usually detected as a hard lump underneath the nipple and areola.  Men carry a higher mortality than women do, primarily because awareness among men is less and they are less likely to assume a lump is breast cancer, which can cause a delay in seeking treatment.

  1. Myth: Young women don’t get breast cancer.

Fact: The truth is all women are at risk of breast cancer! However, weman’s risk of breast cancer increases with age.

  1. Myth: Pregnant women can’t get breast cancer.

Fact: Breast cancer is actually the most common cancer in pregnant and postpartum women. When women are pregnant or breastfeeding, their breasts are naturally more tender and enlarged, which may make it harder to find a lump or notice other changes

  1. Myth: The radiation from cell phones causes breast cancer.

Fact: Most research done so far has not shown a link between cell phone use and breast cancer or any other cancer.

  1. Myth: Breast cancer is contagious (infectious).

Fact: Breast cancer is not contagious. You cannot transfer it to someone else’s body. Breast cancer occurs as a result of the uncontrolled cell growth of mutated cells that begin to spread into other tissues within the breast.

Share what you’ve learned about breast cancer and help stop the spread of myths and misconceptions that can unnecessarily cause people to worry and concern.