Breast Cancer MythBUSTers

Fact: While a family history of breast cancer can mean that a woman is at higher than average risk of developing breast cancer, about 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors for the disease.

Fact: As a woman’s age increases, her risk of getting breast cancer also increases. In fact, age is one of the strongest risk factors for developing breast cancer. To help detect breast cancer early, women 40 years of age and older should get regular mammograms in addition to a yearly clinical breast examinations (CBE) and monthly breast self-examinations (BSE).

Fact: Cancer is not a communicable disease. Breast cancer is defined as an abnormal increase in breast cells, resulting in a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the breast tissue.  Generally accepted risk factors of breast cancer include: age, family history, previous breast biopsy showing benign conditions, menstruation beginning at an early age, menstruation continuing past age 50, not having children, having a first child after age 30, high fat diets, obesity, mutations of the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Fact: In general, 80% of lumps are benign (non-cancerous). This percentage tends to fluctuate with age. For young women, more than 80% of breast lumps are benign. As a woman ages, her risk for breast cancer increases. The percentage of benign breast lumps in older women may be much lower than in younger women. It is still important for women to report any breast abnormality to their physician, especially if it persists after two or more menstrual cycles.

Fact: Antiperspirants (or antiperspirant/deodorant combinations) do not cause breast cancer. A false rumor has been broadly circulated claiming that antiperspirants prevent the body from purging dangerous toxins. The message reports that because antiperspirants actually work to stop underarm perspiration (as opposed to regular deodorants that merely provide fragrance), certain toxins become trapped inside the body. These toxins, according to the rumor, are deposited in the lymph nodes below the arms, leading to cell mutations and the development of breast cancer. This link between antiperspirants and breast cancer is completely inaccurate. The National Cancer Institute and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are unaware of any substantial evidence that antiperspirants cause breast cancer.

Fact: Most nipple discharges do not indicate a cancerous condition. Up to 20% of women may experience spontaneous milky, opalescent, or clear fluid nipple discharge. Up to 60% of women experience nipple discharge during breast self-examination. Usually, if the discharge is clear, milky, yellow, or green, it does not indicate cancer. Bloody or watery nipple discharge is considered abnormal; however, only 10% of abnormal discharges are cancerous.  Women should report any worrisome nipple discharges to their physician for clinical examination. Nipple discharge may be a concern if it is:  bloody or watery with a red, pink or brown color, sticky and clear in color or brown to black in color (opalescent), appears spontaneously without squeezing the nipple, persistent, on one side only (unilateral), a fluid other than breast milk.

Fact: A book published a few years ago called Dressed to Kill suggested that underwire bras can constrict the body’s lymph node system, causing breast cancer. The authors of the book attributed the high rate of breast cancer in North America (compared to less industrialized countries in the world) to the fact that most North American women wear bras. This link between underwire bras and breast cancer is completely inaccurate. The authors of Dressed to Kill did not take into account any other genetic, environmental, or social factors that could contribute to breast cancer risk (such as age, family history, high fat diet, obesity, not having children, etc.).

Fact: Injury or trauma to the breast does not cause breast cancer. However, the breast may become bruised or develop a benign (non-cancerous) lump as the result of an injury.  When the body attempts to repair the damaged breast tissue, the affected area may sometimes be replaced with firm scar tissue.
Fact: Birth control pills do not cause breast cancer, even after prolonged use (10+ years). Though oral contraceptives do contain small amounts of estrogen and progesterone (hormones often linked with increased risk over time), the amount of these hormones is too small to pose a noteworthy risk. Today, most women are prescribed "low-dose" formulas which contain less than 50 micrograms of estrogen. Still, women at high risk for breast cancer should discuss any concerns about oral contraceptives with their physicians.

Fact: It is estimated that mammography detects 85% to 90% of all breast cancers. While the vast majority of abnormalities are detected by mammography, some are simply not detectable. For example, sometimes an irregularity goes undetected because surrounding breast tissue is the same density as the irregular tissue. If a patient has a lump or other change and the mammogram is "negative" (interpreted as not suspicious or cancerous), the patient should still pursue that finding with her physician.

Fact: While a breast lump can certainly be a sign of breast cancer (as well as a number of non-cancerous conditions), not all women who are diagnosed with breast cancer will have a noticeable lump. Therefore, women should check for the following warning signs while performing monthly breast self-exams:
• Any new lump or hard knot found in the breast or armpit
• Any lump or thickening that does not shrink or lessen after your next period
• Any change in the size, shape or symmetry of your breast
• A thickening or swelling of the breast
• Any dimpling, puckering or indention in the breast
• Dimpling, skin irritation or other change in the breast skin or nipple
• Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin
• Nipple discharge (fluid coming from your nipples other than breast milk), particularly if the discharge is bloody, clear and sticky, dark or occurs without squeezing your nipple
• Nipple tenderness or pain
• Nipple retraction: turning or drawing inward or pointing in a new direction
• Any breast change that may be cause for concern
While one or more of these changes warrants clinical examination, these changes do not mean that a woman has breast cancer. In addition, breast cancer can be present without any symptoms. For example, screening mammography often detects breast cancer before a lump can be felt. In general, the early breast cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances for successful treatment and survival.

Fact: Many women who are diagnosed with breast cancer will undergo some type of surgery as part of their treatment. However, breast-conserving therapy (lumpectomy, usually followed by radiation therapy) is becoming common treatment for early stage breast cancers.

Fact: The mortality rate among older women with breast cancer is increasing because many older women do not receive full breast cancer treatment at the time of diagnosis. Though breast cancer generally has a slow rate of growth, it can also be an aggressive, fast-moving disease that can metastasize (spread) quickly to other parts of the body.