Breast Cancer Myths

1. "I’m too young to worry about breast cancer."
Fact: While it’s true that your breast cancer risk increases as you get older, the fact is that women of all ages are at risk for developing breast cancer. See: 5 Reasons Why Young Women Should Perform Monthly Breast Self Exam.
Note- I was in my 40's when diagnosed. The doctor told me there is a new, fast-growing incidence of ladies in their 40's getting breast cancer.

2. "There’s never been a case of breast cancer in my family so I don’t need to worry about it happening to me."
Fact: The truth is the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer don’t have a family history of this devastating cancer. However, if your mother, sister, or grandmother ever had breast cancer your risk is significantly increased.See: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.
Note- I am the one and only person with breast cancer in my family tree.

3. "I don’t have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene so I’m sure breast cancer is not in my future." Fact: Don’t fool yourself! Not having a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene does not mean you won’t get breast cancer. Actually, the truth is that almost all women (90 to 95 percent) diagnosed with breast cancer have neither a family history nor mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, according to the American Cancer Society. See: Understanding the BRCA Gene and Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer
Note- I had the BRCA tests and they were negative.

4. "The majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer had more than one risk factor prior to diagnosis."
Fact: All women are at risk for developing breast cancer whether they have known risk factors. In fact, the majority of breast cancer patients had no known risk factors, other than being female, for this frightening disease. See: Understanding Breast Cancer Risk
Note- I had no risk factors.

5. "Breast cancer is preventable."
Fact: Although a drug classified as an antiestrogen called, Tamoxifen may decrease breast cancer risk in certain women, the cause of breast cancer remains unknown and is not completely preventable. The real key to surviving breast cancer is early detection and treatment. See: FDA Approves Tamoxifen for Breast Cancer Prevention in High Risk Women
Note- there are many unavoidable environmental causes of breast cancer (pollution, food, chemical exposure...) and many more yet undiscovered ones. Living in a bubble and not eating your whole life is not an option.

6. "Having yearly mammograms will expose me to too much radiation and cancer will occur as a result."
Fact: According to the American College of Radiology, the benefits of annual mammograms far outweigh any risks that may occur because of the minute amount of radiation used during this screening and diagnostic procedure.See: Mammography Screening
Note- Don't worry about this!

7. "I’m not going to breastfeed because breastfeeding would increase my risk of getting breast cancer."
Fact: Just the opposite is true. Breastfeeding may actually decrease the risk of perimenopausal breast cancer. See: Breastfeeding Benefits Mom and Baby
Note- I didn't breast feed and still got cancer (but not the hormonal kind)


Source: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

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GENETIC / HEREDITARY BREAST & OVARIAN CANCER

Every 1 in 9 people (men and women) will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. This is about 200,000 people per year. Researchers and scientists suspect up to 25% of these cancers are hereditary mutations on our genes.

Scientists are naming these genes BRCA (BReast CAncer) with a number afterward. They have been nicknamed "broken genes." The BRCA1 gene was the first one to be discovered. It is on the 17th chromosome. A second one, BRCA2, was discovered on the 13th chromosome. Right now BRCA1 & 2 are suspected for causing about 0.2 percent of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. They are the current "leaders" in cause by their share of percentage. Scientists feel upward of 25% of all breast cancers are genetic in some way and they are on the verge of identifying a BRCA3, also on the 13th chromosome.

If you have a "broken gene" you are not guarenteed to develop cancer. Your risk is just higher than that of the general popular so doing monthly self-exams, getting annual mammograms and clinical checkups are very important to catching it early, getting treatment right way, and perhaps saving your life. You can take medication which will cut your risk in half.

If you have parents, siblings or aunts/uncles with breast cancer then you are considered at "high" risk of having a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. If one of your parents has breast cancer, then your risk is 50/50. If you or your spouse has hereditary breast cancer or carry a broken gene, then each of your children have a 50/50 risk of developing it.

There is a simple (for you) blood test to see if you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews are 10 times more likely than the general population to have these two hereditary mutuations. If there is breast or ovarian cancer in your family tree, pressure your doctor to order the test. My insurance covered the cost (in full) which is good because it's several thousand dollars. My results were negative.

Don't rule out the men for developing breast cancer (1% of all breast cancers are men) or passing down a broken gene. Every year about 2000 men develop breast cancer and 450 will die from it. The famous "Shaft" actor Richard Roundtree has breast cancer. See this link for more on him: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlusBreastCancerNews/story?id=4028791. There is also a website for men and breast cancer. See http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/breastcancer.html.

SOURCES:
National Institue of Health
National Human Genome Research Institute
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More about → GENETIC / HEREDITARY BREAST & OVARIAN CANCER