Uncovering Breast Cancer Myths-News-Herald News, Fall River, Massachusetts

Breast cancer awareness has grown over the last decade, seeking treatments and celebrities talking about the experience and profits of Pink Ribbon products going to breast cancer research. But even at a higher level of awareness, rumors and myths about breast cancer continue to spread.

Dr. Tina Lizak, MD, an oncologist specializing in women’s cancer at St. Anne’s Hospital, explains the facts and myths about breast cancer.

Myth: Breast cancer is only hereditary.

Fact: Family history plays an important role, but it is not the only risk factor. The majority of women with breast cancer do not have a family history or known risk factors. Therefore, screening is for everyone. Talk to your healthcare provider about women and men in your family with cancer to determine which screening is right for you.

Myth: Do only women get breast cancer?

Fact: Both men and women can be diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is about 100 times less common in men than in women, but by 2020, more than 2,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in the United States.

Myth: Antiperspirants and deodorants cause breast cancer.

Fact: Internet rumors have been widespread for years as linking antiperspirants and deodorants to breast cancer. The allegation is that harmful substances such as aluminum in deodorants can seep into the skin, increasing the risk of cancer or blocking the body’s ability to release toxins, eventually causing cancer-leading accumulation. Neither the National Cancer Institute nor the FDA have found a link to the use of antiperspirants or deodorants for breast cancer.

Myth: Eating fruits and vegetables cures breast cancer.

Fact: Eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables is good for your health, but it does not cure cancer. However, fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, so eating them is still a healthy habit. Obesity is an important and risk factor for breast cancer here. Fruits and vegetables can be part of a balanced and nutritious diet that helps you gain and maintain optimal weight.

Myth: Eating soybeans causes breast cancer.

Fact: While soy products are low in fat and cholesterol and can be added to the diet in a healthy way, some argue that the phytoestrogens in soy have estrogenic effects that can lead to breast cancer. Studies on whether the amount of phytoestrogens in soy products is sufficient to correlate with breast cancer are not conclusive. Talk to your healthcare professional to find out if soy is suitable for your diet.

Myth: All I need to do is my monthly chest self-examination and I’m fine.

Fact: While it’s good to check your breasts every month for lumps and changes, mammograms are an important step in early detection of breast cancer before you feel it. Women over the age of 40 should take a mammogram every year. Women with a history of breast cancer or a family history of early-stage breast cancer may need to start annual screening earlier.

About St. Anne’s Hospital Regional Cancer Center

Founded in 1976, the St Anne’s Hospital Community Cancer Center provides patients in the Greater Fall River area of ​​Greater New Bedford, Massachusetts with expertise in community setting. Based in St. Anne’s Hospital, Fall River, and Dartmouth, the center works with Brigam and Women’s Physician Organization radiologist specialists who have appointments with Brigam and Women’s Hospital and Dana for comprehensive medical oncology and hematology. We provide academic care and radiation oncologist services. -Farber Cancer Institute.

The St. Anne’s Hospital Regional Cancer Center has been awarded by the American College of Surgery Cancer Commission for a comprehensive regional cancer program and is unconditionally accredited by the American College of Radiology for radiation oncology. The program has been named one of the best cancer treatment hospitals in the United States each year by the Women’s Choice Award® since 2016.