By Ratidzo Makombe
Cancer comes in many different forms and is affecting more and more people globally. According to the WHO 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer, and Breast cancer is the second most common cancer globally as of 2018. Due to the high numbers of breast cancer, there is also a lot of misinformation and this article seeks to shine a light on the facts around breast cancer.
According to the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe, breast cancer is a disease in which the orderly process of cells regeneration goes wrong in the breast. When the cells grow and gets out of control it results in what we know as a tumour. There are different kinds of breast cancers and the kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer.
There are multiple misconceptions about breast cancer and here are a few myths and facts:
Myth: If I do not have a family history of breast cancer, I will not get it.
Fact: Many people think that breast cancer is an inherent disease. However, this is only true for about 5 % to 10 % of the women who get breast cancer.
The majority of people who get breast cancer have not had a family history of it suggesting that other factors may be at work, such as environment and lifestyle. Doctors cannot often explain why one a person gets breast cancer and another does not. In addition, if you do have a family history of cancer from either maternal or paternal side it is important that you take the necessary precautions of breast self-examination (refer to October Newsletter). This is a measure for early detection of breast cancer.
Myth: Breast cancer only happens to middle-aged and older women.
Fact: Younger Women can and do get breast cancer.
In 2017, about 4% of invasive breast cancers were diagnosed in women under age 40, while 3% were diagnosed in women in their 50s and 27% in women ages 60 to 69. Overall, this means that 1 in every 25 invasive breast cancer cases occurred in women under 40. Hence, women of all ages need to pay attention to their health regularly.
Myth: Breast cancer always causes a lump you can feel.
Fact: Breast cancer might not cause a lump, especially when it first develops.
People are sometimes under the impression that breast cancer always causes a lump that can be felt during a self-exam. They might use this as a reason to skip mammograms (the process of using low energy X-rays to examine the human breast for diagnosis and screening), thinking they will be able to feel any change that might indicate a problem. However, breast cancer does not always cause a lump. Although performing breast self- exams is certainly a good idea, it is not a substitute for regular screening with mammography. This Month Avenues Clinic is offering breast cancer screening test- why not take the opportunity to get screened.
Myth: Wearing a bra or an underwire bra can cause breast cancer.
Fact: There is no evidence that bras cause breast cancer.
From time to time, media coverage and the internet have fuelled myths that wearing a bra can increase breast cancer risk. The theory was that wearing a bra – especially an underwired style – could restrict the flow of lymph fluid out of the breast, causing toxic substances to build up in the tissue. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. A 2014 Study of about 1500 women with breast cancer found no link between bra wearing and breast cancer.
As the disease burden rises, it is important to always look for reliable sources of information for example from the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe and the World Health Organisation.
Similarly, we encourage women to get screened for breast cancer regularly and start having open factual conversations with other women about breast cancer. Together we can beat cancer.
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