Eight Breast Cancer Myths...Exposed!
"Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus." - Oprah Winfrey -
Dear Lifestyler,
Thanks for tuning in because the facts could save your life!
Now, I know that's a bold statement but then again, if you're confused about breast cancer, you’re not alone...
Misconceptions can cause you unnecessary worry or worst still, lull you into a false sense of security...wouldn't you agree?
These days, even though there's a never ending barrage of news and overwhelming information at hand, getting the facts is harder than landing on the moon.
And no wonder...thanks to instant messaging, experts that oppose each other and studies that contradict each other, rumors spread like wildfire, and advice from friends who think they know the latest.
All this confusion is dangerous...
Today we're going to bust the myths, look at the facts and set the record straight:
Myth #1: If a breast lump or area is painful, it’s not cancerous.
Fact: Cancer lumps can hurt, though they usually don’t.
A recent study found that only 2 percent of women in their 30s and 40s who complained of breast pain actually had cancer.
As a general rule, your pain is more likely to signal cancer if it's in a specific area, especially close to the nipple.
If you feel a hard lump that’s tender, with irregular edges...
And if the pain doesn’t increase and decrease during your period...
And in particular if you’ve never noticed this feeling of pain in the past.
Bear in mind that pain is more likely to be a sign of fibrocystic breasts, a common, noncancerous condition that affects more than 50 percent of women at some point in their life.
Symptoms include pain in both breasts, aching that increases or decreases depending on your menstrual cycle, and pain near the armpit.
No matter what, you should consider discussing any breast pain with your doctor.
Myth #2: It’s essential to perform a monthly breast self-exam (BSE).
Fact: BSEs may not do that much good and can be stressful especially if you've smaller breasts and don't really know what to look out for, because there's no data to support that BSEs help find smaller tumors or decrease the death rate from breast cancer.
They may even lead to unnecessary physician visits, increased anxiety, and unneeded biopsies.
Because of this, the American Cancer Society lists monthly BSEs only as a prevention option, not a prevention must.
Bear in mind there are checkups that can save your life:
Mammograms every year starting at age 40 (or younger if you have a family history of the disease) and annual doctor’s examinations.
According to a Harvard study, for a thorough checkup, your doctor should spend three minutes examining each breast.
If your exam is usually shorter, mention your concern when you make your next appointment.
And if you ever notice a lump when showering, putting on a bra, or rolling over in bed, consult your doctor.
Myth #3: Your breast size doesn’t affect your breast cancer risk.
Fact: Women who wear a C cup or larger in a bra size 34 or smaller have a 75 percent greater risk for breast cancer than other women, according to a Harvard study.
Why?
One theory is that large breasts, especially in leaner women, have more glandular tissue that can potentially become malignant.
Sounds scary, but fortunately, a test such as an ultrasound or MRI, when used with mammograms, makes it much easier to spot tumors early in the dense tissue of larger breasts.
Ask your doctor if you’re a good candidate for one of these early detection tests.
Myth #4: You can prevent breast cancer by sticking to a low-fat diet.
Fact: Multiple studies have failed to link a low-fat diet to a decrease in breast cancer risk.
One lifestyle habit, however, does protect you big-time:
Physically active women, regardless of the kind of exercise they do or the intensity of their workouts, are 20 to 40 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than sedentary types, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Experts say that women who exercise regularly, as in, at least three times a week, generally have lower levels of the hormones that may stimulate cancer growth.
Myth #5: Nipple discharge is normal as long as it’s not bloody.
Fact: Discharge that is yellow, pink, reddish brown, or watery can signal cancer, as can bloody discharge, but typically none of them do.
Almost 90 percent of the time discharge is triggered by a medication, oral contraceptives, or a hormonal imbalance.
Still, if you have any breast discharge, you’ll need to have a mammogram and physical examination for an accurate diagnosis.
Myth #6: Your family history of breast cancer determines your risk.
Fact: About 80 percent of women who develop breast cancer have no known family history.
Still, having a first-degree relative (a parent or sibling) with breast cancer does approximately double your risk.
When genetics is a factor, your father’s DNA matters as much as your mother’s, you get half of your genes from him, after all.
And because men who carry the breast cancer gene are less likely than women to develop the disease, you need to look more closely at the women on your father’s side.
If you do have a family history of the disease, ask your doctor if you should be screened more frequently and if genetic testing makes sense for you.
Myth #7: Women who breast-feed can significantly reduce their risk of getting breast cancer.
Fact: You can reduce your risk somewhat, meaning, by about 17 percent, if you’ve ever nursed a baby, according to a Yale study.
Breast-feeding, the longer, the better, some research shows may lower your lifetime exposure to estrogen, a hormone that plays a key role in breast cancer growth and development.
Myth #8: Taking the Pill increases your risk of breast cancer.
Fact: There’s no proof that oral contraceptives up your risk.
This is true even if you started taking them at an early age or took one of the older, hormone-potent Pills, according to a study of more than 9,000 women.
There is concern, however, that taking the Pill after menopause (to cope with hot flashes and other symptoms) could increase your odds.
To be on the safe side, even if you're not close to menopause, please do consider going off the pill and use natural contraceptives.
If you'd like to learn more about natural contraceptives, I've found a fantastic resource that's proving to be very liberating.
This special resport delves deep, explaining the pro's and con's and gives you nothing but facts.
Just send me an email with the subject: “They Laughed When I Told Them I'm Having The Best Sex Of My Life…Now They’re All Asking Me How They Can Do It Too?”
Thanks, I'll be happy to point you in the right direction: johnmignano@optusnet.com.au
Dear Lifestyler,
Thanks for tuning in because the facts could save your life!
Now, I know that's a bold statement but then again, if you're confused about breast cancer, you’re not alone...
Misconceptions can cause you unnecessary worry or worst still, lull you into a false sense of security...wouldn't you agree?
These days, even though there's a never ending barrage of news and overwhelming information at hand, getting the facts is harder than landing on the moon.
And no wonder...thanks to instant messaging, experts that oppose each other and studies that contradict each other, rumors spread like wildfire, and advice from friends who think they know the latest.
All this confusion is dangerous...
Today we're going to bust the myths, look at the facts and set the record straight:
Myth #1: If a breast lump or area is painful, it’s not cancerous.
Fact: Cancer lumps can hurt, though they usually don’t.
A recent study found that only 2 percent of women in their 30s and 40s who complained of breast pain actually had cancer.
As a general rule, your pain is more likely to signal cancer if it's in a specific area, especially close to the nipple.
If you feel a hard lump that’s tender, with irregular edges...
And if the pain doesn’t increase and decrease during your period...
And in particular if you’ve never noticed this feeling of pain in the past.
Bear in mind that pain is more likely to be a sign of fibrocystic breasts, a common, noncancerous condition that affects more than 50 percent of women at some point in their life.
Symptoms include pain in both breasts, aching that increases or decreases depending on your menstrual cycle, and pain near the armpit.
No matter what, you should consider discussing any breast pain with your doctor.
Myth #2: It’s essential to perform a monthly breast self-exam (BSE).
Fact: BSEs may not do that much good and can be stressful especially if you've smaller breasts and don't really know what to look out for, because there's no data to support that BSEs help find smaller tumors or decrease the death rate from breast cancer.
They may even lead to unnecessary physician visits, increased anxiety, and unneeded biopsies.
Because of this, the American Cancer Society lists monthly BSEs only as a prevention option, not a prevention must.
Bear in mind there are checkups that can save your life:
Mammograms every year starting at age 40 (or younger if you have a family history of the disease) and annual doctor’s examinations.
According to a Harvard study, for a thorough checkup, your doctor should spend three minutes examining each breast.
If your exam is usually shorter, mention your concern when you make your next appointment.
And if you ever notice a lump when showering, putting on a bra, or rolling over in bed, consult your doctor.
Myth #3: Your breast size doesn’t affect your breast cancer risk.
Fact: Women who wear a C cup or larger in a bra size 34 or smaller have a 75 percent greater risk for breast cancer than other women, according to a Harvard study.
Why?
One theory is that large breasts, especially in leaner women, have more glandular tissue that can potentially become malignant.
Sounds scary, but fortunately, a test such as an ultrasound or MRI, when used with mammograms, makes it much easier to spot tumors early in the dense tissue of larger breasts.
Ask your doctor if you’re a good candidate for one of these early detection tests.
Myth #4: You can prevent breast cancer by sticking to a low-fat diet.
Fact: Multiple studies have failed to link a low-fat diet to a decrease in breast cancer risk.
One lifestyle habit, however, does protect you big-time:
Physically active women, regardless of the kind of exercise they do or the intensity of their workouts, are 20 to 40 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than sedentary types, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Experts say that women who exercise regularly, as in, at least three times a week, generally have lower levels of the hormones that may stimulate cancer growth.
Myth #5: Nipple discharge is normal as long as it’s not bloody.
Fact: Discharge that is yellow, pink, reddish brown, or watery can signal cancer, as can bloody discharge, but typically none of them do.
Almost 90 percent of the time discharge is triggered by a medication, oral contraceptives, or a hormonal imbalance.
Still, if you have any breast discharge, you’ll need to have a mammogram and physical examination for an accurate diagnosis.
Myth #6: Your family history of breast cancer determines your risk.
Fact: About 80 percent of women who develop breast cancer have no known family history.
Still, having a first-degree relative (a parent or sibling) with breast cancer does approximately double your risk.
When genetics is a factor, your father’s DNA matters as much as your mother’s, you get half of your genes from him, after all.
And because men who carry the breast cancer gene are less likely than women to develop the disease, you need to look more closely at the women on your father’s side.
If you do have a family history of the disease, ask your doctor if you should be screened more frequently and if genetic testing makes sense for you.
Myth #7: Women who breast-feed can significantly reduce their risk of getting breast cancer.
Fact: You can reduce your risk somewhat, meaning, by about 17 percent, if you’ve ever nursed a baby, according to a Yale study.
Breast-feeding, the longer, the better, some research shows may lower your lifetime exposure to estrogen, a hormone that plays a key role in breast cancer growth and development.
Myth #8: Taking the Pill increases your risk of breast cancer.
Fact: There’s no proof that oral contraceptives up your risk.
This is true even if you started taking them at an early age or took one of the older, hormone-potent Pills, according to a study of more than 9,000 women.
There is concern, however, that taking the Pill after menopause (to cope with hot flashes and other symptoms) could increase your odds.
To be on the safe side, even if you're not close to menopause, please do consider going off the pill and use natural contraceptives.
If you'd like to learn more about natural contraceptives, I've found a fantastic resource that's proving to be very liberating.
This special resport delves deep, explaining the pro's and con's and gives you nothing but facts.
Just send me an email with the subject: “They Laughed When I Told Them I'm Having The Best Sex Of My Life…Now They’re All Asking Me How They Can Do It Too?”
Thanks, I'll be happy to point you in the right direction: johnmignano@optusnet.com.au
posted by Editor-In-Chief @ 1:45 PM
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