Breast Cancer Myths Your Local Medical Center Wants You to Know

Each October, the public consciousness focuses on breast cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. However, despite the publicity, fundraisers, and attention, a variety of myths persist about breast cancer.

Regular appointments at your family practice with your doctor can help ensure early detection of breast cancer. Also, knowing the following myths before you arrive at your family practice clinic in a panicked state can help you remain healthy and understand when it’s time to make an appointment.

Myth #1: A lump in your breast means you have breast cancer.

As one of the most pervasive myths associated with cancer and breast health, finding a lump in your breast isn’t always a sign of cancer. Breast lumps sometimes mean cancer, but there are a number of other issues that cause lumps including cysts or benign tumors.

Does the low likelihood of cancer mean you should ignore lumps? On the contrary, finding changes in breast tissue means a trip to your doctor or a medical center in San Antonio should be your next step. Your physician can conduct a clinical breast exam and send you to a specialist if necessary.

Myth #2: Breast cancer only occurs in women.

According to statistics shared by the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., around 2,190 men will see a breast cancer diagnosis and hundreds of those men will also die from the disease. Although the percentage is small compared to the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year, it’s something that should be on every man’s radar.

One of the reasons why men experience a higher mortality rate than women is a lack of awareness. Most men don’t consider conducting a breast self-exam or visiting a doctor after finding a lump and that results in delays in treatment.

Myth #3: Family history dictates the likelihood of developing breast cancer.

Some groups of women may experience a higher likelihood of developing breast cancer because of hereditary risk, but family history doesn’t dictate whether a woman will or will not develop the disease. In fact, most women who receive a breast cancer diagnosis don’t have a family history of the disease.

Increased screening is usually advisable for women who have an immediate family member (mother, daughter, or sister) who developed breast cancer before the age of 50. However, even if there is no family history of breast cancer in your family, doctors recommend regular breast exams that a doctor can perform at your family practice.

Myth #4: Underwire bras and antiperspirants increase cancer risk.

Lifestyle choices can impact your risk of developing breast cancer, but using antiperspirant and wearing an underwire bra aren’t activities you must avoid. For several years, rumors have suggested antiperspirant chemicals cause a buildup of toxins in the skin that lead to breast cancer.

Likewise, a similar rumor suggests underwire bras block drainage of lymph fluid from the breast and cause breast cancer. Despite the popularity of these rumors, neither has been proven. Breastcancer.org explains that your kidneys handle toxins and that sweating isn’t the primary way toxins exit the body. Further, there is no correlation between underwire bras and breast cancer.

Myth #5: You can’t do anything to prevent breast cancer.

Related to the myth that breast cancer only occurs in women (or men) who have a family history of the disease, another rumor is that there’s nothing you can do to prevent breast cancer. In fact, lifestyle and environment are two of the most significant factors in your risk of developing breast cancer.

Doctors recommend maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and limiting alcohol intake. Also, the Susan G. Komen Foundation reveals that women are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer if they remain overweight after menopause. A weight loss clinic can help you lower your risk.

Myth #6: Breast implants increase cancer risk or cause cancer.

The rumor that breast implants cause cancer has remained despite research on the subject showing that women with breast implants aren’t at higher risk of the disease than women who don’t have implants. Public scrutiny of silicone breast implants a few decades ago allowed this myth to spread, but no research confirms it.

Women who have breast implants may need to undergo additional X-rays because standard mammograms don’t always work.  Your doctor at your local medical center may arrange for alternative screening to accommodate breast implants.

Regular screenings at Pro-Care Medical Center can help keep you breast cancer free. Schedule an appointment today!

Myth #7: Breast cancer is a disease of the elderly.

A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer as she ages does increase beyond the ages of 50, 60, and 70, but it’s not a diagnosis that only impacts older women. Breast cancer is quite rare in women under the age of 30, but the chance does start to increase each decade thereafter.

According to the federal government’s  National Cancer Institute, the average woman has a 1 in 227 chance of developing breast cancer at age 30. At age 40, that chance increases to 1 in 68. By age 70, the chance jumps to 1 in 26. It’s important to understand, however, that a variety of risk factors and lifestyle choices impact a woman’s overall chance of developing breast cancer.

Myth #8: Breast cancer risk increases as breast size increases.

It’s easy to assume that breast cancer risk increases alongside breast size, but women who have larger breasts aren’t at greater risk of developing the disease than women who have smaller breasts. However, very large breasts can present challenges for screening, which may be why this rumor persists.

All women should speak with their family medicine doctor to arrange a schedule of breast screenings whether they have large breasts or small. Your local medical center has a variety of screening tools on hand for women of all sizes including clinical breast exams, mammograms, and MRIs.

The most important way you can reduce your chance of dying from breast cancer is with regular examinations at home and at Pro-Care Medical Center. Early detection is the best tool for fighting the disease. It’s important to schedule regular screenings with your doctor whether you have a family history of breast cancer, or you’ve never known anyone in your family with the condition.

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