Breast Cancer Myths

Ignorance may be bliss in some matters, but not when it comes to breast cancer. Misinformation about the disease and its causes can keep women from taking steps to reduce their risk and catch the disease early. In honor of National Breast Cancer Month, we’d like to dispel five common breast cancer myths and help you put your mind at ease and take better care of yourself:


Myth #1: The Pill boosts my chances of getting breast cancer.
Truth be told: Approximately 80% of women born since 1945 have used oral contraceptives at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A definitive new study of 9,000 women, published in the June 2002 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that use of the Pill had no effect on lifetime breast cancer risk. What’s more, the results showed that neither the length of time women had been on the Pill nor the dose of estrogen in their contraceptive of choice could predict the disease. If you’re a fan of the Pill, put your worry to rest, and keep in mind that birth-control pills have many potential health benefits, including protection from ovarian cancer.


Myth #2: Stress or a type-A personality can trigger breast cancer.
Truth be told: There are no conclusive studies that would link stress to cancer. A recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that enduring unusually stressful events after breast cancer treatment, such as divorce or the death of a loved one, did not affect the recurrence of the disease.
There is also no such thing as a “cancer personality,” according to data published in the International Journal of Cancer. Academics in Finland found no association between neurotic or hostile behavior and breast cancer. Likewise, classic type-A personality traits, such as ambitiousness, competitiveness and aggressiveness, have not been linked to cancer risk.


Myth #3: Antiperspirants can cause breast cancer.
Truth be told: This widely circulated myth — the subject of a long-running e-mail chain letter — has no basis in fact, according to scientists at the NCI and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Both organizations’ Web sites dismiss this Internet hoax. The theory behind the claim is that antiperspirants clog pores and prevent the armpits from purging cancer-causing toxins; the toxins then allegedly accumulate in the lymph nodes and lead to cell mutation. There is no truth to this myth.






Myth #5: If I don’t have the breast cancer gene or a family history of the disease, I don’t have to worry. Truth be told: In reality, the vast majority of women who get breast cancer don’t fall into either one of these categories. There are many other established risk factors for the disease, including early menstruation, late menopause, late-life pregnancy or not having children, high alcohol intake, and use of hormone replacement therapy, among others. Even so, most cases of breast cancer are not clear-cut.


Of course, having close blood relatives with the disease or mutations in the so-called breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) does raise your risk significantly: Women who fall into either category should be extra vigilant about having regular mammograms and should consider prophylactic measures. It’s important to remember that you shouldn’t just track your mother’s relatives when researching your family medical history — paternal relatives count, too. If one of your first-degree relatives (your mother, sister or daughter) has breast cancer, your risk for the disease just about doubles; having two first-degree relatives increases a woman’s risk fivefold. Although the exact risk is not known, women who have male relatives with breast cancer also have an increased risk of developing the disease.


FOLLOW AN EARLY BREAST DETECTION PROGRAM

Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer in women in the U.S. today, and every woman is at risk. Although there is no proven way to prevent the disease, there are ways that each woman can protect her health. Here are steps you can take to maintain good breast health.


• Get regular mammograms, beginning at age 40; one every year or as directed by your doctor.
• Have a breast examination by a doctor or nurse, every year, starting at age 20.
• Learn the normal feel of your breasts, and check them regularly. Many women have lumpy breasts, which are usually not cause for concern. However, if you feel a change or a lump that is new, be sure to have it checked by a doctor or nurse right away.


BREAST CANCER STATISTICS


• Every three minutes, a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2003, it is estimated that approximately 211,300 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed, along with 55,700 new cases of noninvasive breast cancer. And 39,800 women are expected to die from this disease.


• Breast cancer is the leading cancer among white and African-American women. African-American women are more likely to die from this disease.

• Breast cancer incidence in women has increased from one in 20 in 1960 to one in eight today.

Breast Cancer Facts and Information listed here comes from:
Cancer Facts and Figures 2003, American Cancer Society; National Cancer Institute, "Cancer Incidence in the U.S.”; National Breast Cancer Foundation; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; breastcancer.org and the National Breast Cancer Coalition