Breast Cancer – Myth vs. Fact

MYTH 1: Women with smaller breasts have less chance of getting breast cancer.

FACT: Women of all breast sizes can get breast cancer because the disease is a result of abnormalities in the milk ducts and mammary glands. Breast sizes only vary due to the amount of non-cancerous fatty tissues in the breasts. Women with larger breasts have nothing to fear if the amount of milk ducts and mammary glands remain normal. However, if breasts are large because of dense breast tissue, getting regular mammograms at the hospital is recommended as the chance of breast cancer increases.

MYTH 2: Having a mammogram is enough.

FACT: Mammography alone is not enough to detect breast cancer. Though Mammograms are 80 percent accurate, they may not be able to detect abnormal lumps of a miniscule size. Therefore, an ultrasound is also recommended, as it increases the level of accuracy from 80 percent to 85-90 percent. A breast-examination by a specialist doctor can increase this percentage the accuracy to 99 percent

MYTH 3: Men cannot get breast cancer.

FACT: Men can develop breast cancer. Men who are at risk include those who are older, overweight, or have more than the average breast tissue expected in men.

MYTH 4: If I find a lump in my breast, I have cancer.

FACT: Eighty percent of lumps in women’s breasts are caused by benign changes, cysts or other conditions.