18 Myths and Facts about Cancer you need to know in 2018

1. None of my family members had breast cancer, how come I get it?

 ANS- Hereditary cancers (caused by abnormal genes passed from parent to child) contribute Only 5% to 10% of breast cancers. Remaining are usually lifestyle related or happen “by chance”

 2. Can we prevent the breast cancer? Are there vaccines for it?

 Ans- Honestly there is no 100% protection/ preventive strategy. There are no vaccinations for this till date. However there are some strategies like

- Lifestyle modifications ( maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and limit alcohol and avoid smoking) can reduce the risk to the tune of around 25-30%

- In case of strong family history, few doctors recommend radical measures like mastectomy (if BRCA1/2 positive) as prophylaxis

- Even early detection in early stages help to achieve better cures

 3. Underwired Bras can cause breast cancer?

 Ans- Its not true. A 2014 scientific study could not find a link between wearing a bra and breast cancer.

 4. Can Mammogram prevent breast cancer? Few others say, it is dangerous, how true it is

Ans- Mammograms neither prevents nor contributes to breast cancer. It is a simple X ray done annually or once 3 years, for early detection when caner is most treatable. However like any other diagnostic test, it had risk of false negative(test say you don’t have cancer, eve if it is there in body) and false positive results- which is the true risk. The radiation exposure of advanced digital machines of new age are relatively safe.

 5. Underarm Antiperspirants or deodorants cause breast cancer

 Ans- evidence is not enough (we have both positive and negative results) for the claim that antiperspirants cause breast cancer, either because of toxin buildup or aluminum exposure. However the larger scientific bodies are of the opinion that limited use is “not carcinogenic”

 6. Finding a lump in your breast means you have breast cancer.

 Ans- Only a small percentage of breast lumps turn out to be cancer. But if you discover a persistent lump in your breast or notice any changes in breast tissue, it should never be ignored.

 7. Men do not get breast cancer; it affects women only.

 Ans- Quite the contrary, each year it is estimated that approximately 2,190 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 410 will die

 8. Breast caner is contiguous (spreads by touching eating food int he same plate and sharing bed)

 Ans- Completely false. As doctors we daily touch them and all of us are Ok today. It develops as a result of controlled growth of abnormally mutated cells

 9.  Exposing a tumor to air during surgery causes cancer to spread or doing a biopsy leads to faster spread of cancer

 Ans- FNAC or needle test and biopsy are proven beyond doubt to be safe and do not cause spread of the tumor cell. similarly Surgery doesn't cause breast cancer and it doesn't cause breast cancer to spread, as far as scientists can tell from the research so far

 10. All women have a 1-in-8 chance of getting breast cancer.

Ans- Though the number is true, the statement is “ half tre” The reality is - risk increases as you get older. The complete fact is “ woman’s chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer is about 1 in 233 when she's in her 30s and rises to 1 in 8 by the time she’s reached 85.”

 11. Living near power lines or cell-towers can cause breast cancer

 Ans- A 2003 study aimed at explaining what appeared to be a high incidence of breast cancer in certain counties on Long Island, N.Y., found no link between the disease and electromagnetic fields emitted by power lines. An earlier study conducted in the Seattle area yielded a similar conclusion. Research into potential environmental risk factors is ongoing. But as on Now, it can be considered safe

 12. Fertility treatments increase the risk of getting breast cancer

 Ans- the controversy raise as there is link between estrogens (used for fertility treatment) and breast cancer. As yet, no large, long-term, randomized studies have eliminated this concern entirely; it merits more research to find a definite answer

 13. Women with lumpy breasts (also known as fibrocystic breast changes) have a higher risk of developing breast cancer

 Ans- The previous concept (where most of the doctors believe the same), is proven wrong now. However, when you have lumpy breasts, it may be challenging to differentiate normal tissue from cancerous tissue, so you may experience false alarms.

 14. an injury to the breast can cause cancer

 Ans- No. Sometimes an injury can lead to a benign (not cancer) lump known as fat necrosis. This is scar tissue that can form when the body naturally repairs the damaged fatty breast tissue.

 15. drinking warm water from a plastic bottle causes cancer

 Ans- It’s true that if a plastic bottle or container is exposed to extremely high temperatures, chemicals such as BPA in the plastic are released into the water or food product inside, which theoretically can interact with our hormones and cause breast cancer. Practically the amount released would still be within safe limits and would not cause any harm

 16. The Breast conservation surgery (removal of lump only) is riskier

 Ans- No, infact when radiation is given after lumpectomy, it is ams good as removing the whole breast as far as cancer outcomes are concerned.

 17. Cancer in young women is easy to treat

 Ans- No, it is otherwise. Cancers in the young, tend to be more aggressive (Most, but not all). Many of these cancers are HER2 positive and ER/PR negative, or HER2/ER/PR all three negative, and they have a worse prognosis than those who have ER/PR positive tumours. So all the more reason to catch these cancers early, since chances of long survival decrease fast with increasing stage of these tumours.

 18. Indian breast cancer is difference from he world.

 Ans- Partly true. Every region has its own uniqueness for every caner, predominantly due to genetic makeup , environmental factors, lifestyle and culture. Indian women develop cancer almost 10 years earlier than Ethiopian and or American women. Recent ASCO publication states that out of every 100 women with breast cancer in the US, 89 women are likely to survive for at least 5 years(due to early diagnosis). where are the figures doesn't cross 48% in India (where 60% cases are stage III and IV), predominantly due to late diagnosis  

 For more information about these studies, please visit:

1. American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/how-your-diet-may-affect-your-risk-of-breast-cancer.html.

2. International Journal of Epidemiology: https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/31/1/78/655928/Meat-and-dairy-food-consumption-and-breast-cancer.

3.  Journal of American College of Nutrition: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2005.10719504