Breast Cancer Awareness - Fact vs. Fiction

This October marks the 27th year of recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Pink or pink-ribbon products line store shelves with a portion of the sales
donated to cancer care or research. 

Breast cancer is an important
health issue, affecting one in eight women during their lives. Unfortunately,
the most significant risk factors for breast cancer are ones you cannot change -
being a woman and growing older. Despite the fact that every year approximately
200,000 women will find out they have breast cancer, there are still a lot of
misunderstandings about the disease, its diagnosis and prevention. Here we
separate fact from fiction.  

Antiperspirants contribute to
breast cancer
FICTION: There are two myths associated with this
often-found internet rumor. First, that deodorants contain toxins that can build
up in the lymph glands of the armpit which then can cause cancer in the breast
tissue. And second, that deodorants inhibit your body from perspiring the toxins
that cause cancer. There is no scientific proof to support either of these
claims.  

Mammograms are your most reliable way to detect early
breast cancer.
FACT: By the time a tumor can be felt via self
examination, it is usually bigger than the average size that can detected by
mammography.  When looking for a good mammography center, look a high quality
facility and a radiologist who reads about 300 mammograms a month.  Keep in
mind, however, that mammography can sometimes miss detection, so self
examinations and regular exams by your doctor are also crucial to the screening
process.

If there's no history of breast cancer in your family,
you don't have to worry.
FICTION: Every woman is at risk for breast
cancer.  About 80 percent of women who get breast cancer have no known family
history of the disease. 

Breast cancer can be passed through
your father.
FACT: Breast cancer genes can be inherited from your
dad's side of the family. So let your health care practitioner know about cases
on both sides of the family, in both men (although rare) and women. 


Your risk for breast cancer increases with age.

FACT: A woman's chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer is about 1 in 200
when she's in her 30s and rises to 1 in 8 by the time she's 85. 


Breast cancer always starts with a lump.
FICTION:
While a lump may indicate breast cancer (or one of many benign breast
conditions) there are other signs too. These include swelling, skin irritation
or dimpling, breast or nipple pain, nipple retraction (turning inward), redness,
scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin, and discharge. 


Caffeine contributes to breast cancer.
FICTION: No
connection has been found between drinking caffeine and getting breast cancer.
In fact, some research suggests the opposite could be true. 


There are measures you can take to reduce your
risk.
FACT: There are several things you can do to lower your risk,
including losing weight, getting regular exercise, lowering alcohol consumption,
examining your breasts regularly, quitting smoking, and getting regular
mammograms. 

This month support Breast Cancer Awareness with pink
products. Pens, markers, envelopes, staplers, binders, calendars are just a few
of the many items you can find at Twist OP. Go pink and
show you care!  

For additional information on breast cancer, consult
the following sites. 

http://www.cancer.org/

http://nbcam.org/
http://ww5.komen.org/
http://www.cdc.gov/Features/BreastCancerAwareness/

http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/understand_bc/statistics.jsp

http://www.pinkribbon.com/
http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0%2C%2C20215563%2C00.html

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/About-Breast-Cancer/Myths.aspx

http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/news/brcancer_myths06.shtml