It’s October again, a time where the world becomes shrouded in pink as part of the movement to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer, an incredibly important campaign. In Canada alone, an estimated 22,700 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 3,300 Canadians will be diagnosed every week, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.
We’ve all encountered the plethora of pink products ranging from lip balms to candles, nail polish, ribbons, pens and more that have materialized in the wake of breast cancer awarenes month. But once you distill the awareness campaign to its absolute core, it is about understanding the research pertaining to the disease as well as deciphering the mixed messages that surround breast cancer, and listening to the plight of women who have receieved the diagnosis.
Peggy Orenstein, an award-winning writer and two-time survivor of breast cancer has stated that “awareness has become obliviousness”, and her statement speakes volumes. Breast cancer awareness should transcend the one month of October every year; we simply can’t allow awareness efforts to run their course and then fade into obscurity once the month comes to an end. So, as well as purchasing bubble-gum colored goodies, it is even more important that we investigate the maze of contradictions surrounding the disease and advocate the spread of knowledge relating to breast cancer that exists today. It goes without saying that breast cancer awareness is more than a pink-drenched business, and it’s time to set the record straight. Here, we’ve dismissed six common myths based on research that is available today.
Myth 1: Breast cancer always reveals itself in the form of a lump.
Fact: While a lump may signal cancer, the fact remains that approximately 10% of those diagnosed with breast cancer do not have breast lumps or experience pain. This means that there are numerous other symptoms that women should be vigilant about and these include:
– Breast pain or nipple tenderness
– A change in the size or shape of the breast
– A change in how the breast or nipple looks or feels
– Scaly, red or swollen skin.
Myth 2: Women with a family history of breast cancer are the only ones at risk
Fact: Family-history risks are very prevalent, but research reveals that roughly 70% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no detectable risk factors for the disease. However, genetics do play an integral role in the chances of developing breast cancer. If you have a first degree relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’re twice as likely to develop the disease.
Myth 3: Wearing antiperspirant can cause breast cancer
Fact: While this myth has been debunked by the American Cancer society, it is evident that more research is needed. A small study did encounter small traces of parabens in a minor sample of breast cancer tumor.
Myth 4: Breast implants can raise your cancer risk
Fact: While traditional x-rays aren’t as effective at detecting cancer in women with breast implants as they are in detecting them in women without them, research indicates that women with implants are not at greater risk of getting breast cancer. However, women with breast implants should opt for additional testing in order to obtain more accurate results.
Myth 5: Regularly wearing underwire bras increases your chances of getting breast cancer
Fact: This is incorrect. This issue has been researched attentively, and assertions that underwire bras compress the lymphatic system resulting in the buildup up of toxins and ultimately causing cancer are unscientific. Your choice of bra has no link to the occurence of breast cancer.
“Possible” Myth 6: Regular mammography is the panacea to breast cancer
Fact: This is a controversial one. While it is very important to acknowledge the importance of regular screening, as early detection can increase chances of survival, recent research reveals that 17% of invasive breast cancer is misdiagnosed through needle biopsies. More specifically, Susan G. Komen for the Cure conducted a study that shed light on 90,000 different cases in which women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer after undergoing a mammography exam. It was later revealed that they did not have the disease at all, and their overdiagnosis had led them to seek unnecessary treatment – definitely something to bear in mind. Regardless, regular screening does have the potential to save lives, and more research needs to be invested in making screening technology more accurate.
For more information, visit the Canadian Cancer Society website!