Breast cancer is a disease with which a lot of myths and misperceptions are associated which lead to scare the women suffering through this, so it is important to separate fact from fiction. We need to go through history of breast cancer. Let’s look at some of the myths
- Breast cancer is one of the infectious diseases in young women. But the reality is that all women are at risk for breast cancer, 95% of breast cancer cases occur in women aged 40 and above.
2. Use of underarm underwire bra causes breast cancer. This is myth too
- Generally, people say women with no family history of breast cancer won’t develop breast cancer. But the truth is that most of the diagnosed patient don’t have any close relative or past family history of breast cancer.
- Breast cancer is reason for maximum deaths of women in world. In U.S its heart attack, even in India its due to heart disease and global cause for highest women’s death is cardiovascular diseases.
- Mammograms, done to diagnose breast cancer, are very unsafe and painful. When you go for an x-ray of breast the mammogram compresses your breast. It can cause pain, but todays mammograms have reduced it much. And radiation is not that concentrated, that they can harm you. And things to take care of are, if there is prolonged pain after mammography then it should be monitored and consulted with physician.
- Mastectomy (surgery where breast is removed to prevent cancer.) is only option after breast cancer detection or when cancerous tumor is found. 21st century have seen an advancement in technology. And most of the women has more than one option after detection of breast cancer.
- An injury to breast can cause breast cancer. The common reason behind this myth is that when your breast is injured due to some other reason it seeks attention towards already present lump or tumor in your breast.
- High stress can cause a breast cancer. Dr. Zeidman stated that there is no relation between stress and breast cancer.
- I.V.F treatment can increase the chances of breast cancer.
- Piercing at nipple can increase breast cancer.
- Men can’t get diagnose with breast cancer. Truth is men can also develop breast.
12. Pills used for birth control can cause a breast cancer. These pills contain less amount of estrogen so it’s not associated with breast cancer.
13. In robotic surgery it’s often considered as robot is doing surgery and surgeon is doing nothing. But in actual it’s a surgeon who controls robotic hands. And it a mode of artificial intelligence which is used to do more precise surgery.
There are so many interesting facts about breast cancer.
- Left breast has 5%-10% more chances of developing breast cancer.
- At start of 20th century Surgeons started removing both ovaries. Performing radical mastectomy as a solution to breast cancer. It all started with Scottish surgeon George Beatson, who found removing ovaries reduces the size of tumors in breast. ovaries releases estrogen which causes to increase in size of tumors. So, removing of ovaries helped to reduce size of tumor.
- After that some surgeons even removed pituitary gland. because it stimulates estrogen production.
- In ancient times Egyptians used a mixture of cow’s brain and wasp dung paste and it was applied on breast tumor for 4 days. This suggested by papyrus.
- Breast cancer was being called as nuns’ diseases. Due to nuns being more affected.
- In India every 4 minute one women is diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Breast cancer is most common cancer in urban areas and 2nd most common in rural areas of India.
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