Myth: Only women with a family history of breast cancer are at risk.
Fact: Women with no family history of breast cancer and no genetic mutation are capable of developing breast cancer. However, if you do have a family history of breast cancer, that elevates your risk.
Myth: If your mother or grandmother had breast cancer, you are automatically going to get breast cancer.
Fact: If you have a first- or second-degree relative with breast cancer, your risk will be elevated, but it's not a guarantee that you're going to have it. First-degree relative is a sibling, mother or child. A second-degree relative would be an aunt, grandmother or niece.
Myth: Men can't get breast cancer.
Fact: Although uncommon, men can get breast cancer.
Myth: A lump is the only sign of breast cancer.
Fact: Breast cancer can appear in other ways, such as changes in breast size or shape, nipple discharge, skin dimpling or redness. Early detection often comes from recognizing these changes.
Myth: If you do have a breast lump, it's definitely cancer.
Fact: A lump does not necessarily equate to breast cancer. There are a lot of different reasons why a woman might have a lump in the breast. Oftentimes it will be basic anatomy, since breast tissue can feel like lumpy. Sometimes it can feel hard or tender. There might be a cyst (a fluid-filled lump) or a fibroadenoma. The best thing to do is to have it evaluated.
Myth: Younger women don’t get breast cancer.
Fact: Younger women can get breast cancer. The earlier it is detected, the better it's going to be. The very first sign, no matter your age, no matter your gender—if you think you feel something—absolutely speak up. Whether it's to your primary care provider, your OB/GYN, tell them, “I have a breast lump.”
Myth: Wearing underwire bras can cause cancer.
Fact: There is no association between underwire bras and breast cancer. If an underwire bra rubs in a consistent place over and over, that can cause pain or discomfort, but it's not going to cause cancer.
Myth: Putting your cell phone in your bra, or having it close to the body, can cause breast cancer
Fact: There's not currently any evidence that shows a relationship between the radiation emitted from your cell phone and breast cancer risk.
Myth: Breast cancer always shows up on a mammogram.
Fact: A mammogram is not foolproof. The less dense your breast tissue is, the more sensitive the mammogram is going to be. Dense breast tissue is a little bit harder to evaluate and harder to detect smaller abnormal findings in the mammogram. If you have dense breast tissue, in addition to having your annual mammograms, you could do increased self-checks or watch for other symptoms such as changes in breast size or shape, nipple discharge, skin dimpling or redness.
Myth: If you are called back after your mammogram screening, that means you automatically have cancer.
Fact: When you have a screening mammogram, the radiologist will read those results, but it might not be while you're waiting in the office. They might need to go in and do some magnification views, or you might need to also have an ultrasound done.
Myth: Having a double mastectomy guarantees cancer will not return.
Fact: Although having a double mastectomy does reduce the recurrence risk down significantly—down to less than 1%—it does not guarantee that the cancer won't return.
Myth: If you're healthy and eat well, you won't get breast cancer.
Fact: Although it's definitely favorable to stay healthy, it's not foolproof. Eating well and exercising definitely reduces the risk for all kinds of health issues, not just breast health.
Myth: Breast cancer always comes with pain.
Fact: Most breast cancers are painless. Even if it's in a lymph node, most of the time it's not tender. If you have a lump in the breast and it's tender, it's a sign. It's not a guarantee, but cysts tend to be painful. Fibroadenomas can be painful. Mastitis can be painful. But typically, breast cancer is not.
Myth: Only women with large breasts get breast cancer.
Fact: Women with all cup sizes can get breast cancer.
Myth: Breast implants cause breast cancer.
Fact: There's no correlation between breast implants and breast cancer.
Myth: It is harder for a patient who has implants to have breast cancer detected.
Fact: We are able to do implant displacement views with mammograms and can get really great scans.