1. MYTH: Breast cancer only happens to middle-aged and older women.
FACT: Younger women can and do get breast cancer, as do men.
2. MYTH: Wearing a bra can cause breast cancer.
FACT: There is no evidence that bras cause breast cancer
3. MYTH: Using underarm antiperspirant can cause breast cancer.
FACT: There is no evidence of a connection between underarm antiperspirants and breast cancer, but the safety of antiperspirants is still being studied.
4. MYTH: Breast cancer always causes a lump you can feel.
FACT: Breast cancer might not cause a lump, especially when it first develops.
5. MYTH: If I don’t have a family history of breast cancer, I won’t get it.
FACT: Most people diagnosed with breast cancer have no known family history.
6. MYTH: Young Women(under 35) do not get breast cancer
FACT: Breast cancer is more likely to occur in a woman older than 35, but it can occur in very young women. Any lump found at any age needs professional evaluation by a physician.
7. MYTH: Breast cancer is not painful; fibrocystic breast condition is what causes the pain.
FACT: Breast cancer is usually not associated with pain. However, 11 percent of women with breast cancer experienced pain as a symptom. Any breast pain needs a thorough evaluation by a physician.
8. MYTH: Redness, pain or bloody discharge are the only signs of mastitis (inflammation/infection) in new mothers.
FACT: Mastitis is a common occurrence in the young mother, but if, after treatment with antibiotics, the symptoms do not improve or disappear, the patient should be evaluated further. Breast cancer in young women can cause the same symptoms as mastitis.
This information is provided by Breastcancer.org.
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