It’s Important to Know What’s a Breast Cancer Myth and What’s Truth

As we wrap up 2022, we’re blogging about myths vs. truths about breast cancer. There’s a lot of information out there about breast cancer. It’s hard to determine what’s breast cancer truth and what’s actually a breast cancer myth. At Second To Nature, we provide mastectomy education, and encourage true breast cancer awareness. Therefore, our blog this month focuses on weeding through breast cancer truths versus myths like:

• Family History Solely Determines Breast Cancer Risk
• Practicing Healthy Behaviors Guarantees Not Getting Breast Cancer
• Too Much Sugar Causes Breast Cancer
• Breast Cancer Always Manifests as a Lump

Breast Cancer Myth: Only Family History Determines Breast Cancer Risk

Yes, family history is certainly a factor when determining a risk for breast cancer. However, the breast cancer truth is only five to 10 percent of women inherit breast cancers, according to breastcancer.org. Even if you don’t have a family history of breast cancer, you can consider factors like environment and lifestyle. That said, those with a family history of breast cancer should also seriously consider that risk as well as others.

Breast Cancer Myth: Healthy Behaviors Avert Developing Breast Cancer

Absolutely, eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly and other healthy behaviors can help lower breast cancer risks. Even so, the breast cancer truth is that no specific healthy behaviors guarantee you won’t get breast cancer. An additional healthy behavior that lowers the risk of fatal breast cancer is performing self-breast exams. That way, you can spot unusual changes in your breasts. Besides adopting healthy behaviors, you should get regular mammograms.

Breast Cancer Myth: Too Much Sugar in Your Diet Causes Breast Cancer

A common cancer myth is to avoid consuming too much sugar because sugar feeds and increases cancer growth. That’s not entirely accurate. In general, consuming too much sugar is just not a healthy choice to make. The breast cancer truth is that all cells, whether cancerous or not, use sugar as fuel. Yes, cancer cells consume sugar more quickly than non-cancerous cells. However, that doesn’t mean that too much sugar causes breast cancer, or any type of cancer for that matter.

Breast Cancer Myth: Breast Cancer Always Shows Itself as a Lump

This breast cancer myth is not a breast truth for two reasons. First of all, according to the Mayo Clinic, many with breast cancer never had symptoms, including lumps, prior to diagnosis. A lot of times doctors only found their cancer in a screening, like a mammogram. Secondly, according to the Cleveland Clinic, the majority of lumps we find on our bodies are harmless. Lumps aren’t likely cancerous if:

• They’re soft
• They’re located in the fat layer of skin
• Activity increases their size and pain levels
• Resting decreases their size and pain levels
• They move and change form when touched

For information about custom breast prosthesis and mastectomy education, call Second To Nature at (540) 366-2711 in Roanoke, VA. Like and follow us on Facebook for updates. We’d also be happy to share more myths vs. truths about breast cancer.