What You Thought is True About Breast Cancer – But Isn’t October 16
We continue to try to contribute towards increasing breast cancer awareness, as we participate in this month’s observation of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
For this post, we share with you information that we learned from a feature on Fox News regarding the myths surrounding breast cancer. Cancer, after all, is no laughing matter, which is why it is very important that accurate information about the disease is made known to the public.
Here are some things that you may think you know about breast cancer that isn’t true. First off, we bring to you the myth surrounding the most common symptom of breast cancer — a lump on the breast. Some people may have the notion that having a lump on the breast automatically means that one already has breast cancer. In reality, a majority of these lumps – about eighty percent – are benign and not cancerous. This does not mean that one can simply brush a lump off given the odds. Any woman who discovers a lump on her breast should still see a doctor immediately, as only a trained professional can accurately say whether or not the lump should be a cause for concern.
Next myth is that the mammogram, instead of helping, can cause the cancer to spread. On the contrary, it is by far the best tool available to detect the onset of breast cancer on time.
The absence of breast cancer in the family also does not mean that one is protected from the disease. While having a relative – especially an immediate family member – may increase your risk factor for contracting the disease, it does not mean that one who does not have a family history of breast cancer cannot get it.
Another myth is that having a mastectomy is the be-all and end-all of breast cancer treatments. Not all women who find themselves suffering from breast cancer need to undergo such a drastic procedure. It is also not a guarantee that a patient will become cancer-free after having the procedure.
Tags: breast cancer detection, breast cancer facts, breast cancer medication, breast cancer treatment, breast mammogram, disadvantages of mammogram
hsr0601 Oct 17
The Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study has shown that breast cancer survivors who cut their fat intake and increase their fruit and vegetable intake reduce their recurrence rate by 24 percent.