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Welcome back!<\/p>\nWelcome back!<\/p>\n
Read the following to learn the truth! The Following<\/em> Material courtesy of the <\/em>National Cancer Institute<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n Myth<\/strong><\/p>\n Finding a lump in your breast means you have breast cancer.<\/p>\n The Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n Only a small percentage of breast lumps turn out to be cancer. \u00a0But if you discover a persistent lump in your breast or notice any changes in breast tissue, it should never be ignored. It is very important that you see a physician for a clinical breast exam. He or she may possibly order breast imaging studies to determine if this lump is of concern or not.<\/p>\n Take charge of your health by performing routine breast self-exams, establishing ongoing communication with your doctor, getting an annual clinical breast exam, and scheduling your routine screening mammograms.<\/p>\n Myth<\/strong><\/p>\n Men do not get breast cancer; it affects women only.<\/p>\n The Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n Quite the contrary, each year it is estimated that approximately 2,190 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 410 will die. While this percentage is still small, men should also check themselves periodically by doing a breast self-exam while in the shower and reporting any changes to their physicians.<\/p>\n Breast cancer in men is usually detected as a hard lump underneath the nipple and areola. \u00a0Men carry a higher mortality than women do, primarily because awareness among men is less and they are less likely to assume a lump is breast cancer, which can cause a delay in seeking\u00a0treatment.<\/p>\n Myth<\/strong><\/p>\n A mammogram can cause breast cancer to spread.<\/p>\n The Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n A mammogram, or x-ray of the breast, currently remains the gold standard for the early detection of breast cancer. Breast compression while getting a mammogram cannot cause cancer to spread. According to the National Cancer Institute, \u201cThe benefits of mammography, however, nearly always outweigh the potential harm from the radiation exposure. Mammograms require very small doses of radiation. The risk of harm from this radiation exposure is extremely low.\u201d<\/p>\n The standard recommendation is an annual mammographic screening for women beginning at age 40. Base your decision on your physician’s recommendation and be sure to discuss any remaining questions or concerns you may have with your physician.<\/p>\n Myth<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have a family history of breast cancer, you are likely to develop breast cancer, too.<\/p>\n The Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n While women who have a family history of breast cancer are in a higher risk group, most women who have breast cancer have no family history. Statistically only about 10% of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of this disease.<\/p>\n \u00a0Myth<\/strong><\/p>\n Breast cancer is contagious.<\/p>\n The Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n You cannot catch breast cancer or transfer it to someone else’s body. Breast cancer is the result of uncontrolled cell growth of mutated cells that begin to spread into other tissues within the breast. However, you can reduce your risk by practicing a healthy lifestyle, being aware of the risk factors, and following an early detection plan so that you will be diagnosed early if breast cancer were to occur.<\/p>\n Myth<\/strong><\/p>\n If the gene mutation BRCA1 or BRCA2 is detected in your DNA, you will definitely develop breast cancer.<\/p>\n The Truth<\/strong><\/p>\n According to the National Cancer Institute, regarding families who are known to carry BRCA1 or BRCA2, \u201cnot every woman in such families carries a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, and not every cancer in such families is linked to a harmful mutation in one of these genes. Furthermore, not every woman who has a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation will develop breast and\/or ovarian cancer. But, a woman who has inherited a harmful mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 is about five times more likely to develop breast cancer than a woman who does not have such a mutation.\u201d For people who discover they have the harmful mutation, there are various proactive measures that can be done to reduce risk. These include taking a hormonal therapy called Tamoxifen or deciding to take a surgical prevention approach which is to have bilateral prophylactic mastectomies, usually done with reconstruction.\u00a0\u00a0Some women will\u00a0chose to also\u00a0have ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as well since there is no reliable screening test for the early stages of developing ovarian cancer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>For more information go to: http:\/\/www.nationalbreastcancer.org\/breast-cancer-myths<\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to take my quick weekly quiz to see how much you have learned today. There is a reward at the end of the quiz, so act now before they are all gone!![\"breast-cancer-awareness\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/03c4283.netsolhost.com\/member\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/breast-cancer-awareness-e1412361963387.jpg?resize=274%2C248\")
<\/a>There is a lot of information out on the web but it doesn’t mean it is all true! As with most health conditions, there is misinformation that leads to misunderstanding. I have found this great article from the National Breast Cancer Organization that helps answers\u00a0some of the\u00a0myths that might be out there.<\/p>\n\n
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