Understanding cancer risk can be confusing, and with so much media focus on what to do and what not to do, it can be overwhelming. In fact, there are many misconceptions about how a person develops breast cancer and how to reduce the risk. Read on as we debunk 8 myths about breast cancer for you.
Myth #1: All breast lumps are cancerous.
It is important to take all lumps seriously and always follow up with your primary care provider, but a lump does not mean cancer. In fact, only a small percentage end up being cancerous.
Myth 2: Breast implants cause breast cancer.
Breast augmentation does not cause cancer, but it can make self-examination more difficult. You may need to take extra steps to be screened, and if you do have implants and develop breast cancer, you may need to have them removed, according to MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Myth 3: Deodorants cause breast cancer.
Some scientists have reported that deodorants contain harmful chemicals that may cause breast cancer. But according to the National Cancer Institute, there isn’t any hard evidence that this is true.
Myth 4: Only women get breast cancer.
This is false because breast cancer is a disease that affects breast tissue.True, it is more common in women, but Men Can Get Breast Cancer Too.
Myth 5: Breast cancer is hereditary and cannot be prevented.
It is thought that only about 5% to 10% of cancers are caused by genes, while about 90% are caused by our lifestyle and environment.
Myth 6: Mammograms are too risky because of radiation.
Radiation is used in mammography because it can detect lumps before people feel them, increasing the chances of early detection and treatment. There are specific recommendations on how often to have mammograms to reduce the risk of overexposure.
Myth 7: Breast cancer is a disease of older women.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the overall lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is one in eight. It’s less common in younger women, but that doesn’t mean younger men and women aren’t at risk. According to the American Cancer Society, women ages 20-24 have the lowest rates of diagnosis and women ages 75-79 have the highest rates.
Myth 8: A positive test for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene means a person will develop breast cancer.
Testing positive for this gene increases the risk. The lifetime risk is approximately 12% for women and approximately 40% to 85% for women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 abnormalities (approximately 3 to 7 times higher than for women without mutations).
Overall, the best thing you can do is work with your primary care physician to discuss your individual risks and the action steps you need to take to stay alert and prevent breast cancer. If you hear or see something about breast cancer that concerns you in the media, write it down and discuss it at your next doctor’s visit. This will help avoid unnecessary steps or confusion about prevention and risk.
refer to:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/
- National Breast Cancer Foundation: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-myths
- National Breast Cancer Foundation: http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/genetics
- National Cancer Institute: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/myths/antiperspirants-fact-sheet
- organize: http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/genetic/pos_results
- MD Anderson Cancer Center: https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/december-2014/breast-implant-cancer.html
- National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health: https://www.cancer.gov/search/results
