Let's see things just as they are in reality.

A woman from eight can get breast cancer during their life.

It's a disease that you can't anticipate, you can't prevent, but it can be cured.


There are measures for preventing breast cancer
False. Until now, there are no such measures, but there are ones for detecting it in early stages when treatment has maximum chances to succeed. 

These consist in avoiding some risk factors (stress, excessive sunbaths), in self-palpation of breast techniques and recurrent examinations at your GP.



Breast cancer is a genetic disease
It is true that medical history of the family and the mutations of some genes are two factors associated with cancer risk, but only 5-10% of the cases of illness have a genetic motive.

Besides, there are more factors of risk (age, diet, constitution, the fact that a woman gave birth or didn't after 30) and 80% of the women diagnosed with breast cancer don't have a risk factor determined.


This disease always starts with a nodule.
Breast cancer does not always starts with a nodule.

The majority has nodules without being carcinogen. If the nodule is mobile and soft with even borders it is very probable to be benign. Generally, malign injuries are tough and motionless.

Though, this does not necessarily indicate breast cancer or the absence of it and a clinical examination is absolutely required.


If the nodule is painful it means it is carcinogen.
Generally, yes.

Only 10% of the malign injuries are associated with pain. Benign injuries are, usually, painful. If the pain manifests in both breasts the possibility of it being associated with cancer is smaller than when it's in just one breast.

Women with small breasts doesn't get breast cancer

No way! The size of breasts has nothing to do with the risk of getting cancer. The only disadvantage known is that radiologists have some more work for interpreting the mammography of a woman with high-density tissue.


Breast cancer is triggered after a hit in the breast area.
Good news: after only one hit (even intense) breast cancer doesn't appear.

There can appear bruises and, sometimes, through wound healing, can appear nodules (non-carcinogen), which, usually, disappear in one month. At mammography, these necrosis can seem carcinogen nodules.

Bad news: after small traumas, but repeated, there can appear breast cancer.


Women with implants get breast cancer.
Women with implants present the same risk of getting breast cancer as the rest of the population.


Through mastectomy you eliminate cancer once and for all.
Unfortunately, the simple mastectomy (even a radical one) does not eliminate for good breast cancer.

There are cases when the illness returns right beside the scar from the intervention. It is needed a complex therapy.


Women that had breast cancer can't conceive anymore.
Researches show that metabolic changes and hormonal ones during pregnancy do not represent a risk for reappearance.

It seems that not even the number of pregnancies or the period of time between treatment and pregnancy affect significantly the risk prognosis on long term. Though, there are some cases when pregnancy is highly contraindicated.

The survivors of this disease must discuss this issue with their physician.


Positive thinking cures the disease.
Positive thinking can't cure cancer by itself, but it is a powerful stimulus of the immune system.

It influences the treatment's efficiency and diminishes the side effects. The important thing is that optimism should be authentic, otherwise, which means dissimulated, the emotions of fear, isolation and anger can undermine the efforts of moving forward.

So, things are not always as bad as they are presented, nor so shiny. Some things that you’ve read or heard are simply myths, with no scientific value. Anyways, don’t skip your examinations.


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