How does misinformation about breast cancer turn into myths that are believed by so many people?

Psychologists think it has to do with “cognitive effort” and the amount of brainpower needed to think critically about myths.

Since accepting false statements takes much less energy than thinking critically about them, we readily accept myths.

However, the consequences of believing breast cancer myths can be devastating for the health of many women who neglect to get annual mammograms after age 40.

Here are six breast cancer myths you should stop believing this instant:

1. Breast Cancer is a Genetic Disease
   Scientists have identified two genes that cause breast cancer–BRCA1 and BRCA2.¹
   
   However, less than 10 percent of breast cancer patients have these genes.The fact is that any woman can get breast cancer regardless of their family genetics.Lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, a diet of mostly processed foods, and heavy drinking play a critical role in whether breast cancer develops in women.Although rare, breast cancer is also known to affect young, healthy women who do not carry the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

2. No Lumps Means No Breast Cancer
   Many women perform self-checks instead of getting mammograms. When they feel no lumps or unusual hardness in their breasts, they think this means they do not have breast cancer.Unfortunately, one out of every 100 women diagnosed with breast cancer does not have breast lumps or any other problems with their breasts. Also, most breast lumps are noncancerous tumors (fibroadenomas) or cysts emerging from blocked ducts.²
   
   Breast cancer can take other forms that are less discernible than a lump. Lumps around your armpit, changes in nipple appearance, inward-turning nipples, and breast skin that is red, scaly, or swollen are all possible signs of breast cancer.

3. Only Large-breasted Women Get Breast Cancer
   This myth probably comes from the fact that obesity is one of the risks of breast cancer.However, it is not valid. Breast cancer does not discriminate between women with small breasts and women with large breasts because all breast cancers develop in milk duct cells. And all women are born with milk ducts.³

4. Leading a Healthy Lifestyle Prevents Breast Cancer
   Although exercising, eating nutritious foods, and keeping your weight at an acceptable BMI can significantly reduce your risk of breast cancer, they can’t guarantee you won’t be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point.Aligning with this particular myth is the false statement that eating too much sugar may cause breast cancer.No studies exist offering statistically significant results that point to sugar inducing breast cancer. The sugar-breast cancer myth continues because cancer is the abnormally rapid growth of cells and cells feed on glucose.⁴

5. Radiation from Mammograms Increase Your Risk for Breast Cancer
   The average individual in the U.S. receives more radiation daily from natural sources than women receive from a yearly mammogram. The risk of experiencing any adverse effects from mammograms is extremely low. Women who are concerned about mammogram radiation should discuss with their doctor whether they need more than one mammogram every year.⁵

6. Hormone Replacement Therapy Increases a Woman’s Risk for Breast Cancer
   Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescribed by doctors to women over 50 is meant to replace estrogen and progesterone lost during and after menopause. However, the HRT made by pharmaceutical companies contains laboratory-made hormones that cell receptors in the body do not recognize as being naturally produced hormones. The difficulty cells have in accepting standard HRT chemicals creates a kind of systemic inflammatory response that researchers think raises a woman’s risk for breast cancer and heart disease.⁶
   
   With so much clinical evidence indicating HRT can cause various health problems, women are seeking an alternative to traditional HRT drugs.The best alternative they have discovered is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).Made from plant sources and contains no inflammatory chemicals, BHRT is readily accepted by the body because receptors recognize BHRT molecules as almost identical to hormones released by a woman’s endocrine system.To date, no clinical trials indicate that BHRT increases a woman’s risk for breast cancer, heart disease, or other medical problems associated with HRT.

Call us today to learn more about BHRT and how it will improve your overall health and well-being.

References

1. https://www.stopbreastcancer.org/information-center/myths-truths/
2. https://www.stlukeshealth.org/resources/5-breast-cancer-myths-debunked
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dcis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371889
4. https://www.health.com/condition/breast-cancer/25-breast-cancer-myths-busted
5. https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/mammograms/benefits_risks
6. https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/study-suggests-hrt-carries-higher-risk-breast-cancer-thought/