The most harmful, these are various errors associated with cancer in general and with breast cancer in particular. Misleading, women around the world are losing precious time or ignoring symptoms, or self-medication, which leads to the most unfortunate consequences. What are the main misconceptions and myths associated with this ailment?
1. "No one in our family has had cancer, so I will not get sick either"
For a long time it was believed that heredity is the main cause of cancer. Today it is proved that only 10% of cases of breast cancer are genetically determined. In most families where a woman develops breast cancer, this diagnosis has never been encountered before. So healthy genes can not guarantee protection against cancer.
2. It is a disease of elderly women
Unfortunately, doctors have to note the fact of "youthfulness" of breast cancer. Currently, 85% of women infected with breast cancer are under the age of 40 years. But in recent years, cases of morbidity among women, even up to 30 years, are much more common.
Hereditary forms of cancer in this case develop particularly quickly and within a few months reach the culmination.
3. Cancers are very small
According to statistics, every 8 women in the world suffer from breast cancer. However, not all cases are serious. Tumors are usually benign, but they also require surgery. According to statistics, there is a risk for every eighth woman not to live up to 85 years. But cancer has nothing to do with it. Until then, many of them may die for entirely different reasons.
4. Doing a mammogram is bad
It is useful for a woman to know that the exposure during this study is small and is absolutely safe for women over 40 years of age. Young women can be examined using other methods - for example, finger diagnosis.
As a rule, breast tissue in young women is too dense for mammography and sensitive enough that even a small impact reveals pathology. With age, the sensitivity decreases, and the mammography becomes absolutely safe.
5. If the doctor resorts to a biopsy, he suspects that you have cancer
Not always. Mammography and ultrasound determine the location and size of changes in breast cancer. But in order to find out what such changes are, a microscopic examination of the tissue sample must be carried out. This is done with the help of a thin needle and the procedure is not painful.
6. If you have several risk factors, then you will get breast cancer
Studies show that most women at risk do not have breast cancer. Conversely, many suffer from this type of cancer, having no risk factors other than age. As they say, you can not escape your fate!
7. If you are breastfeeding, you will not encounter breast cancer
This is not quite true. Breastfeeding reduces the risk by a factor of two, especially if the birth of the child was before the 26-year-old mother. It is useful for a young woman to breast-feed - this is a fact. But this applies to those types of cancer that have passed before the culmination. Breastfeeding does not affect the risk of breast cancer in women after 35 years.
8. Mortality from breast cancer continues to grow
Unfortunately, sick women do get bigger. But mortality remains at the same level. This is achieved through the development of medicine in this area, preventive measures and vigilance of women themselves.
9. In this case, the cancer must be removed from the breast
In fact, this is not mandatory. Everything depends on the stage and development process. If the size of the tumor is not more than 2.5 cm, perform operations that do not require removal of the breast. However, according to some experts, this is more reliable, especially if breast cancer has affected both mammary glands. The operation is performed under general anesthesia, plastic is made - implants are placed in the breast.
10. Breast cancer is considered the No. 1 killer among women
Yes, according to statistics from him, women die 8 times more often than from cardiovascular diseases. But in general, breast cancer ranks sixth in terms of mortality in the world - it is useful to know so as not to create panic within yourself. Among women under 45 years of age, AIDS and accidents die more than breast cancer. In addition, many women panic about breast cancer, but continue to drink and smoke. It speaks of intimidation, but of irresponsibility.