BUSTING CANCER MYTHS

Everything you think you know about
breast cancer may not be true. We explore some untruths

At least one in 29 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa). But there’s a great chance of recovery if it’s found early, which is why they urge every woman to examine her breasts and underarms every month, to check for any changes. In this article we look at some facts you should know about breast cancer.

MYTH: No one in my family has breast cancer so I won’t get it.
TRUTH: Cancer is genetic but just because your mother has it doesn’t mean that you will have it. However, just because your mother doesn’t have it, also doesn’t mean that you won’t get
it. Women whose mothers, sisters or grandmothers had breast cancer are at greater risk, but all women are vulnerable.

MYTH: Using cheap roll-on will boost my risk of breast cancer.
TRUTH: A 2003 study found that women who shave their underarms and often use antiperspirants are diagnosed with cancer at a younger age.
The human body uses several areas to get rid of toxins through sweating. Antiperspirants prevent you from perspiring, thereby stopping the body from removing toxins from below the armpits.
Some researchers say the body deposits these toxins in the lymph nodes in the armpits since it cannot sweat them out. This can cause a high concentration of toxins in the area and lead to cell mutations that could contribute to developing cancer. Although experts are still divided on this, the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute believe that there’s a definite link between antiperspirants and cancer. Deodorants however, are considered safe, no matter the brand or the cost.

Fast fact: Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women in Africa.

MYTH: Wearing a loose-fitting bra will prevent cancer.
TRUTH: Alcohol, tobacco and a bad diet may hike your risk factor but bras don’t cause cancer.
The experts are also divided on this as some studies have found that women in Westernized countries, who wear bras more frequently, have a higher rate of breast cancer than those in less developed countries, who don’t wear bras as regularly. Leading cancer associations say your bra — loose or tight, padded or under wired - has no effect on breast cancer.

MYTH: Using birth control reduces my risk.
TRUTH: Oral birth control actually increases your risk.
Studies have found that women using oral contraceptives are at greater risk for breast cancer than women who have never used them. The risk decreases when women have been off the pill for 10 years or more, says Cansa.

MYTH: The first sign of breast cancer is always a lump.
TRUTH: Inflammatory breast cancer usually grows as sheets and not a lump. It therefore usually escapes most early detection tests, including self- examinations.
The reality is that there is more than one kind of breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an advanced and rare form of breast cancer not easily spotted by conventional tests. It has been found in girls as young as 12 years old and even breastfeeding women.
Symptoms include a sudden swelling — sometimes a whole cup size in just a few days — itching, a pinkish rash and breast pain.
These symptoms are similar to mastitis, a breast infection. Doctors who are not up-to-date may not recognize IBC and prescribe antibiotics. Because of this, some women who have inflammatory breast cancer may remain undiagnosed for a long time.
IBC rarely shows up in mammograms or ultrasounds, and even a biopsy can produce misleading results.

MYTH: An abortion or miscarriage increases breast cancer risks.
TRUTH: Experts from around the world gathered, to review several studies and found that having an abortion or miscarriage does not boost a woman’s risk.
Most studies up until the mid 1990’s that looked for a link between abortions, miscarriages and breast cancer were not sound and could possibly have led to unreliable results that fuelled this belief. Better-designed research has been done more recently that reliably shows no connection.

MYTH: The highest risk factor is your family history.
TRUTH: Between 80 to 85 per cent of new patients with breast cancer don’t have a relative with breast cancer. “Inherited breast cancer makes up only about 10 per cent of all new breast cancer patients,” says Dr David Chan, an oncologist and author of Breast Cancer: Real Questions, Real Answers. However, that does not mean that hereditary factors are not important - for about 80 to 85 percent of patients it’s not the most important factor.

MYTH: A low-fat diet reduces your risk of breast cancer.
TRUTH: Recent research shows that a diet low in fat, but high in fruit, vegetables and grains, does not lessen the risk.
However, a separate study showed that if you have a change in the BRCA 1 gene - the gene responsible for genetically inherited breast cancer — losing weight can reduce your risk of breast cancer by up to 65 per cent.
Women with this altered gene are less likely to develop the disease if they lose weight between 18 and 30 years of age.

Breast Self-Examination

1. IN THE MIRROR

In front of a mirror, check for any changes in the normal look and feel of your breasts, such as dimpling, size difference or nipple discharge. Inspect four ways: arms at sides, arms overhead, firmly pressing hands on hips and bending forward

2. LYING DOWN

Lie on your back with a pillow under your right shoulder and your right hand under your head. With the three middle fingers of your left hand make small circular motions, follow an up and down pattern over the entire breast area, under the arms and up to the shoulder bone, pressing firmly. Repeat using right hand on left breast.

3. WHILE BATHING

With your right arm raised, check your right breast with a soapy left hand and fingers flat using the method described under “lying down”. Repeat on the other side. Do an examination every month 7 to 10 days after your period.