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What Are the Most Common Myths About Cancer?
By Raveena M Prakash
Cancer is a complex disease and the second most common cause of death across the world. Cancer is a group of diseases that can affect any part of the body; this variety often intrigues many confusions and concerns about this deadly disease, which creates many myths, also known as cancer myths, such as cancer is contagious or stress causes cancer. If you are concerned about these types of myths, which are misleading about cancer and its treatments, then read further!
In this article, we’ll discover more about the cancer myths and misconceptions about cancer treatments and some explanations to discover the truths and facts about cancer.
Debunking some common cancer myths
Advanced cancer research and effective treatments have improved cancer care and its treatments to make it more effective and reduce side effects in patients. Still, there are some misleading and misguiding myths that spread about cancer treatments and their outcomes in patients.
Here are some misconceptions about cancer and its treatments. Let's discover the truth behind them!
Myth 1: Cancer is contagious
Truth: Cancer is not contagious. If you are worried about touching or eating together it can spread cancer from one person to another. Cancer won’t spread to people by touching, eating together, or spending time together. If any of your loved ones are diagnosed with cancer, spending quality time with them results in great emotional support for their cancer journey.
However, there are some viruses that are contagious, which often cause cancer development in people. For example, human papillomavirus and hepatitis B or C.
Myth 2: Use of deodorants cause breast cancer
Truth: There is no physical evidence that connects the association between the use of underarm deodorants or antiperspirants that cause breast cancer in people. However, some studies suggest that these products contain harmful chemicals such as parabens and aluminum components that can be absorbed through the skin. However, there are no clinical tests and results that show the development of breast cancer in people.
Myth 3: Foods in microwaving containers or plastic containers release harmful, cancer-causing chemicals!
Truth: Plastic containers and microwave containers labeled as microwave safe are often considered safe to use in the microwave oven. There is some evidence that suggests that some plastic containers that are not supposed to be used in the microwave could melt and potentially blend chemicals into the food. Try to use containers that are considered microwave safe.
Myth 4: People with cancer shouldn’t eat sugar; it causes cancer to grow faster!
Truth: There is still research needed to confirm the relationship of sugar with cancer in people. All cells in the body depend on blood sugar for energy. However, providing more sugar won’t make the cancer cells grow faster. Likewise, cutting sugar intake won’t slow down the growth of cancer cells in the body.
This cancer myth has started from a misunderstanding associated with PET scans, where they use a small amount of cancer tracer; this is typically a different type of glucose. Tissues in our body are supposed to absorb these tracers along with normal cells. Meanwhile, cells that need more energy absorb a greater amount of these tracers, including cancer cells, which absorb more energy. Because of this reason, many people consider that cancer cells grow with more sugar consumption.
Myth 5: Cancer is always painful
Truth: The sentence Cancer is always painful is not correct. This disease often appears more painful when it reaches the advanced stage. In the majority of cases, the initial stages of cancer often appear painless and hence are named "silent killer. For instance, people diagnosed with breast cancer often don’t feel any symptoms; only 5% of patients experienced pain as a symptom in their early stages of cancer.
Myth 6: Surgery causes cancer to spread
Truth: No, surgery won’t cause cancer to spread in people. Surgery is the most common and primary treatment option for early-stage cancer in patients. There is no evidence that showcases that surgery causes cancer to spread in the body. In reality, performing surgery usually reduces and lowers the growth of cancer in patients.
Myth 7: Cancer always come back
Truth: No, it's not always true that cancer always comes back in patients. However, the chance of cancer recurrence is always a concern, but it's not always the case. Cancer in early stages is mostly considered curable, especially if diagnosed in the early stages. Patients who have cured the cancer in its early stages won’t experience the chance of recurrence. In some advanced cases, it has often been seen, and there is a 30 to 40% chance of recurrence in people.
Myth 8: Only smoking cause lung cancer
Truth: There are some other risk factors apart from smoking that are also responsible for the risk of developing lung cancer in patients. However, the highest risk factor for lung cancer is smoking, which is responsible for approximately 90% of lung cancer cases. 10 to 20% of lung patients don't have the habit of smoking and avoid passive smoking.
Consult Today
Misconceptions and myths related to cancer often confuse people and influence their decisions regarding their cancer diagnosis and further treatments. Cancer awareness and education about cancer would help people to make proper decisions about their health, especially when it comes to cancer treatments. Cancer awareness helps people to get timely medical assistance at the early stages of this disease.
At Oncare, we understand the value of proper cancer awareness and guidance before any major cancer treatments, and we offer more personalised guidance to each cancer patient before and after their cancer diagnosis.
If you or any loved ones of yours are having any symptoms of cancer or recently diagnosed with cancer; then visit Oncare Cancer Center today! Book an appointment with our cancer specialists today! Get an estimated cost of your cancer treatments today!
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no physical evidence between the use of underarm deodorant and the development of breast cancer in people. However, there are some studies that suggest that these products contain several chemicals that are harmful to the skin, which include parabens and aluminum compounds. Still, there are no studies that claim any direct link to the connection between deodorant and the development of breast cancer.
Cancer is always considered a fatal disease, but not now. Today, there are many advancements happening in oncological research and cancer treatments that help to identify cancer through early diagnosis and health screenings, which makes this disease a treatable and manageable disease. Currently, people who are diagnosed with cancer also increase their chance of recovery with effective treatment methods and improve their quality of life.
However, no family history of cancer won’t give a guarantee that you might not have cancer in the future. However, studies suggest that approximately 5% to 10% of cancer cases are considered family history or hereditary cancer. This means that it would develop due to inherited mutations in the cells. So the above sentence is a false statement and a myth.
Smoking highly increases the chance of developing cancer, especially lung cancer. However, it is not true that lung cancer is only caused in smokers. People with non-smoking habits are also diagnosed with lung cancer. There are some other components, such as the exposure to asbestos, radon, silica dust, uranium, arsenic, and passive smoking that also cause the development of lung cancer.
No, approximately 90% of lung cancer and lung cancer deaths are due to smoking habits; however, some studies suggest that approximately 10 to 20% of lung cancers are due to pollution, consistently breathing polluted air.