Myth 1: Most breast cancers are hereditary. Han Mingli, Department of Breast Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University
Facts.
Only 5% to 10% of breast cancers are caused by mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1: breast cancer susceptibility gene1 Translator’s note).
According to the American Cancer Society (or ACS), even women with a family history of breast cancer do not have a clear-cut mutation in many cases, but are instead associated with a shared lifestyle and genetic susceptibility.
In fact, scientists still have not found the true cause of breast cancer. The best way to find the cause is to compare women who have never had breast cancer with those who have been diagnosed or who are at high risk.
Myth #2: Women with smaller breasts have a lower chance of developing the disease.
Fact.
Whether or not you have breast cancer has little to do with bra size. All breast cancer cells develop in relation to the ducts or lobules of the breast, both of which are the same in number for all women, and whose primary function is to produce milk and transport it to the nipple. The size of the breast, on the other hand, is generally related to the amount of fatty stroma (fibrous tissue), which has little to do with the chance of developing breast cancer.
Recommendation.
Myth 3: Breast cancer usually has a lump
Facts.
About 10% of patients diagnosed with breast cancer do not have lumps, pain, or other abnormal symptoms in their breasts. Instead, 80 to 85 percent of detected lumps are benign, and they are usually cysts or non-cancerous tumors, which are called fibroadenomas. This means that your doctor should examine all breast lumps or other breast symptoms (especially those listed below).
. Changes in the touch or appearance of the breast or nipple
. Lumps in or near the breast, or thickening in the armpit
. Breast pain or nipple tenderness
. Changes in the size or shape of the breast
. Recessed nipple or breast skin .
. Warmth when touched
. Scaly, red, or irritated skin on the breast, areola, or nipple may be a pointed ridge indentation, similar to a peeling orange peel.
. Nipple overflow
Myth #4: Mammograms can prevent or reduce the risk of disease
Facts.
Regular mammograms do not prevent or reduce the risk of breast cancer. It can only confirm the diagnosis of breast cancer, thereby reducing the mortality rate of breast cancer patients by 16 percent. However, the majority of breast cancer patients diagnosed by x-ray are usually 6-8 years old, and the test misses tumors by up to 20%.
Therefore, all women should be highly conscious of their health and have an annual mammogram to detect breast abnormalities early. Regular high-quality x-rays, as well as clinical breast examinations, are the most effective way to detect breast cancer and can confirm the diagnosis of breast cancer at the earliest stage. But we still need more information in this area to take early preventive measures for breast cancer, and this is where Avon Maiden plays an important role.
Myth #5: Mammograms can cause breast cancer
Facts.
The radiation damage from x-rays pales in comparison to the benefits of early diagnosis of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that women over the age of 40 should have their breasts examined once a year. The radiation levels set by the FDA are quite low, equivalent to the average person absorbing more than three months of radiation from natural sources. According to the FDA, the amount of radiation women receive when having an X-ray today is 50 times lower than it was 20 years ago, and the long-term effects on the body are virtually zero.
Given the variability of breast cancer conditions, women should talk to their doctors about possible contributing factors, depending on their individual circumstances. Those at high risk should start getting x-rays before age 40 or combine them with other, more sophisticated detection methods such as MRI.
Myth #6: Birth control pills can cause breast cancer.
Facts.
Doctors say they don’t have enough evidence to advise women to stop using birth control pills to avoid breast cancer. some studies from the mid-1990s showed a slow upward trend in cancer risk among birth control users. But the researchers cautioned that the pill’s formulation has now changed to contain mostly lower doses of breast cancer-causing hormones. The study also showed that women’s cancer risk returned to what it was a decade ago when they stopped using the pill. Some studies have shown that the risk of cancer may depend on the race or age group in which one lives (African-Americans and women who take the pill after age 45 have a slightly higher risk of cancer), but others have shown that the pill is not associated with breast cancer.
“That said, not all women who use birth control get breast cancer,” said Avon Maiden creator and breast cancer doctor Susan Lowe. Love said, “So we created the Maidenhair to help identify the risk of the disease in different populations.”
Myth #7: Young women don’t get breast cancer.
Facts.
While postmenopausal women are more likely to develop breast cancer, women of any age are at risk for the disease. In fact, women under the age of 50 have a 25 percent higher rate of cancer and a higher mortality rate. This may be because younger women have denser breasts and have difficulty detecting lumps on x-rays. Because of this, it is best for women to have monthly self-breast exams starting at age 20, clinical exams every three years, and x-rays starting at age 40. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you can request an MRI at the same time.
Some studies have shown that younger patients with breast cancer are more likely to have mutations in BRCA1 and 2, and compared to a 36% confirmation rate for breast cancer with x-rays, MRI can be 77%. If you have high breast density, your doctor will order a digital x-ray. a 2005 study showed that the confirmation rate for digital x-ray was 15% higher for women under age 50 and 11% higher for women with high breast density compared to standard x-ray.
Myth #8: Deodorants and antiperspirants can cause cancer.
Facts.
Not using these cleaning products will not keep you safe from breast cancer. One e-mail claims that antiperspirants can prevent toxins from being removed from your body, which build up at the lymph nodes and lead to breast cancer. In 2002, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle conducted a study that cleared up this rumor by showing no link between deodorants or antiperspirants and breast cancer.
Another rumor speculates that certain chemicals contained in antiperspirants may cause cancer, such as aluminum and parabens, because women in developing countries do not use such products and have a lower incidence of breast cancer. However, toxins are generally not excreted with sweat, as in Europe, where not many people use antiperspirants, but where breast cancer rates are higher than in the United States. Finally, although a 2004 study found that parabens are present in breast cancer tumors, there are still no studies to date that show that these or other chemicals in deodorants and antiperspirants cause breast cancer.
Myth #9: Wearing a bra increases the risk of cancer.
Facts.
We have no scientific or clinical evidence to support the claim that regular or wire bras cause breast cancer. This misconception was sparked by a book called Clothes Kill, which claimed that bras prevent toxic lymphatic fluid from draining from the breasts.
However, this was only the result of an investigation and was not based on any scientific evidence. Since then, some major medical institutions, such as the National Cancer Institute and the Cancer Society, have refuted this claim. They argue that if not wearing a bra really reduces the chances of cancer, it is only because they are thin and obesity is a known risk factor for cancer.
Myth #10: Plastic bottles of water left in a heated car can cause cancer.
Facts.
The misconception falsely claims that hot plastic bottles break down toxic chemicals such as dioxins into the water in the bottle, and that when people drink this water, it can cause a host of health problems, including breast cancer. Dr. Michael Chasch, associate director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Urban Environmental Health, said plastic itself is not a toxic substance. Dr. Chasch said the plastic itself does not contain toxins, and the sun’s rays do not cause the plastic to break down into toxins.
Most disposable beverage bottles in the United States are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which has undergone extensive material safety testing. Some evidence suggests that heat can cause the plastic to break down into water with a chemical compound called bisphenol A (BPA), which has been shown in animal studies to have an estrogenic effect, an “estrogenic effect” that is considered a cancer risk. However, most disposable water bottles sold in the United States are made of BPA-free plastic, and there is no evidence of a link to female breast cancer. To be safe, drinking water bottles should be labeled “BPA-free” and reusable, or with “1”, “2”, “3” or “3” on the bottom of the bottle. “3” or “5” under the water bottle marked with the recycling symbol.
Myth 11: If your mammogram is normal, you don’t have to worry about breast cancer.
Facts.
X-rays are the best way to detect breast cancer early, but they are still imperfect and the current recommendation remains that women over the age of 40 should be screened once a year. Studies have shown that x-rays are missed in up to 20 percent of breast cancer patients who do not have any symptoms. According to the Dr. Susan’s Heart Research Foundation, x-ray screening only reduces breast cancer mortality by 16 percent. Because one test showing normal does not mean that breast cancer will not develop later, the current recommendation is still to have an annual x-ray.
To be on the safe side, you can do a self-breast exam, paying special attention to changes in the appearance or feel of your breasts. women under 40 years of age should have a clinical exam every three years, while those over 40 should have a clinical exam and an x-ray every year. You can consult your doctor about the latest screening technology A study has shown that digital radiography has a 15% higher confirmation rate for women under age 50 and 11% higher for women with high breast density compared to standard radiography. And while x-rays have a 36 percent confirmation rate for breast cancer patients with genetic mutations, digital MRI can reach 77 percent. The American Cancer Society says MRI and X-ray should be used in combination, not in place of each other.
Myth #12: Breast cancer is preventable.
Even if you can address some of the causative factors of breast cancer, such as obesity and lack of exercise, there is still not enough information available to help women understand the causes of breast cancer to avoid the disease altogether.
“Even with the same higher-risk causative factors for breast cancer, there are differences, such as obesity after menopause versus obesity after alcohol abuse, and which is really the cause,” Love said, “Neither of these may be the cause or contribute to the progression of the disease; it just has some association with breast cancer. ” A drug called triamcinolone is said to help reduce the chances of the disease in some women at high risk, and double mastectomy can reduce the risk of the disease by more than 90 percent. But we still need to do more research before we can apply the treatment to the general population. To avoid breast cancer altogether, we need more research, especially on the differences between those with breast cancer and those who do not have it. Participation in the Maiden team will help that research. (Reprinted)