INACCURATE INFORMATION on breast cancer and mammography deter some women from taking mammograms. Here are some of the common misconceptions:
Breast cancer is preventable
Unfortunately this is not true. A number of the factors would have to be present together to trigger cancer. Changing a single factor, such as diet, cannot prevent cancer. The risk cannot be eliminated but decreased by a healthy lifestyle (exercise, low-fat diets, no smoking, avoidance of stress and supplementation with antioxidants such as Vitamin E).
Breast cancer runs in families
Only about 10 per cent of breast cancers appear to be genetic. Therefore, most women with breast cancer have no family history of the condition and not having a relative with breast cancer should not decrease one's vigilance.
Mammography increases the risk of cancer
Early diagnosis is best accomplished by regular breast self-examination (BSE) and mammography. They work hand-in-hand.
Mammograms increase the cancer death rate especially in young women
Mammograms are not routinely recommended for young women as the denser tissue of women under 40 make cancer detection difficult. Only high-risk young women are recommended for mammograms. Thus, a higher death rate from breast cancer has been observed in young women undergoing mammography (in comparison with those who haven't) but most of these women already have a high risk of death.
Mammography is
unreliable
About 20 per cent of cancerous breast lumps are not detected by mammography so it must be accompanied by BSE. However, it detects most cancers and is one of the most reliable screening tools.
Doctors can determine
cancerous lumps by palpation
No, they cannot. They make reasonable guesses which must be confirmed.
Drs. Jean Walters and Gillian Wharfe, oncologists.
