'What We Wish Women Knew About Breast Cancer'

A team of experts sets the record straight on common myths

Do you think that most breast cancer is hereditary, that it strikes only older women, or that every lump is cancerous? You’re wrong on all counts, and you’re not alone. Researchers have found a wide discrepancy between what women think they know and the reality of breast cancer.

The news media don’t help. “They often sensationalize the information,” says radiation oncologist Jeanette Blauth, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Relying on friends also isn’t wise, she says: “One person’s experience can be vastly different from another’s.” Blauth and her colleagues recently pooled their knowledge to dispel popular myths—and arm you with the facts you need to protect your health.

MYTH:	I’m too young to get breast cancer.
	“Breast cancer can affect women of any age, though the risk definitely rises with age,” says family medicine physician Nicole Sully, D.O. Two-thirds of diagnoses occur after age 50. Despite that, Sully says, “a woman of any age who notices a breast lump should seek medical attention.”
MYTH:	If I have a lump, it’s cancer.
	“The vast majority of lumps— according to one study, nearly 90 percent—are not cancerous,” says medical oncologist Savitri Padmanabhan, M.D. Fibrocystic breast disease (a benign condition characterized by lumpy breasts) is common, especially in women age 30-50.
MYTH:	Only women with a family history of breast cancer get the disease.
	“Sixty percent of all cases are in women with no family history,” says genetic counselor Tara Namey. Everyone—and that includes men— is at risk for developing breast cancer. Obesity appears to raise your risk, so weight control plays an important role in prevention.
MYTH:	If I’m diagnosed with breast cancer, I’m going to die or lose a breast.
	“If detected in the earliest stage, there’s a 98 percent survival rate,” says surgical oncologist Heiwon Chung, M.D. Early detection also means a better chance for preserving the breast. Lumpectomy (removing only the lump and not the whole breast) is the standard approach for two-thirds of breast cancer cases today.
MYTH:	Mammograms are painful.
	“‘Uncomfortable’ is a better word, and it only lasts a few seconds,” says breast imaging specialist Susan Trevisan, M.D. “Proper compression is important to get a clear image. Mammograms are the best test to detect cancer at the earliest stage, and that far outweighs any discomfort.”
MYTH:	Herbal remedies cure breast cancer.
	While holistic treatments aren’t well supported by research, says radiation oncologist Jeanette Blauth, M.D., some women choose to complement their chemotherapy, surgery and/or radiation with herbs or special diets. It’s vital to talk with your doctors first. Some complementary therapies and even vitamins can interfere with treatment.

Want to Know More about other breast cancer myths and why compression during mammograms is important? Call 610-402-CARE or click here:
• More Breast Cancer Myths Dispelled
• A Quality Mammogram: Why compression is important

Published from Healthy You Magazine, March-April 2008

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