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Información Importante Acerca del Cáncer de Mama
Con motivo del mes de la Campaña Rosada y siempre pensando en el bienestar de nuestros clientes, BancoPanamá ha compilado una serie de artículos que hablan acerca del cáncer de mama u otros tipos de la enfermedad. Hoy en día circula mucha información acerca de las posibles causas. En algunos casos hay razones equivocadas que no nos permiten enfocarnos en medidas realmente preventivas.
Cancer Magazine, conducted a survey, to determine the awareness that a simple of
citizens had with regards to accurate information about cancer.
To determine how cancer-savvy the U.S. public is, a team created 12 false or unsubstantiated statements about cancer risk and risk factors, then asked nearly 1,000 U.S. adults by phone whether they believed the statements to be true, false, or if they didn't know.
Below are the top five misconceptions from the survey, published in the Sept. 1 issue of Cancer.
1. The risk of dying from cancer in the United States is increasing.
About 68% of those surveyed believed this to be true, although the cancer mortality rate has actually been decreasing since the 1990s. Overall, thanks to more aggressive screening programs and better treatments, the five-year survival rate of all cancers taken together has been climbing for the past 30 years, from 51% between 1975 and 1977 to 67% in 2004.
2. Living in a polluted city is a greater risk for lung cancer than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Almost 40% of adults who responded thought car and bus exhaust posed a greater hazard to their lungs than smoking. While some studies have begun to document an up to 12% greater risk of dying from lung cancer in urban residents, the strongest data consistently show that smoking is the leading cause of the disease. Anywhere from 80% to 90% of lung-cancer deaths can be attributed to lighting up.
3. Some injuries can cause cancer later in life.
Another 37% believed this to be true, despite the fact that most cancers can be traced to a progression of genetic changes that are independent of physical injuries.
4. Electronic devices, like cell phones can cause cancer in the people who use them.
Nearly 30% believed this, although there is no scientific evidence to prove or disprove the relationship between cell-phone use and brain cancer. The National Cancer Institute continues to study any possible links, but they note that the rapidly changing technology of cell phones (newer phones emit less potential cancer-causing radiation than older models) and the difficulty of documenting the duration of people's exposure could make a definitive answer difficult.
5. What someone does as a young adult has little effect on their chance of getting cancer later in life.
Nicole Fawcett published an article about certain discoveries made by a group of specialists from the University of Michigan in the United States.
16 common myths about breast cancer
U-M experts debunk most frequent misconceptions, fears
-added 9/26/06
Ann Arbor, MI. -- One in seven women will develop breast cancer in her life. But how much do most women really know about this disease?
Breast cancer specialists from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center say that misconceptions often cause women more anxiety than necessary. And in some cases the fear paralyzes women and prevents them from seeking the care that could lead to successful treatment.
Here, experts debunk some of the most common myths about breast cancer:
1. You only get breast cancer if you have a family history. I don't have a family history, so I don't need to worry about it.
Eighty percent to eighty-five percent of women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. Even if no one in your family has ever been diagnosed, that's no excuse to skip your yearly mammogram. "It's important all women over 40 years old be screened for breast cancer," says Mark Helvie, M.D., U-M's director of breast imaging.
2. I'm too young to worry about breast cancer.
Breast cancer can affect women of any age. The disease is more common in post-menopausal women, but 25 percent of women with breast cancer are younger than 50. Younger women should have a yearly breast exam by their doctor and begin mammographic screening at age 40. While a breast mass in a younger woman is much less likely to be cancer than a lump in an older woman, it still needs to be checked out. At the same time, you're never too old to get breast cancer. If you feel a lump - at any age - have it checked out.
3. If I'm diagnosed with breast cancer, it means I'm going to die.
Doctors are doing quite well at treating breast cancer, with 10-year survival rates currently at 85 percent to 90 percent. When caught early, up to 98 percent of women survive at least five years. Breast cancer that has metastasized, or spread to other parts of the body, poses the greatest challenge, although women with metastatic breast cancer often live for years with their disease.
4. I've made it five years as a survivor, so my breast cancer won't return.
Breast cancer can recur at any time, although it is more likely to happen within the first five to 10 years: 75 percent of women who will get a recurrence see it within six years, and 25 percent recur in the 10 years after that. New hormonal therapies, including tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, may be delaying recurrence, so that the cancer is more likely to return after the woman stops taking those drugs.
5. Chemotherapy will make me nauseated and I will be vomiting all the time.
Chemotherapy does cause nausea and vomiting. But in the last 10 years, new drugs have become available that can almost completely control nausea, and very few people have persistent nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.
6. If I have a breast lump, it's cancer.
Most breast lumps felt are not cancer. They could by cysts or a benign condition called fibrocystic changes or fibroadenoma. Lumps could also be pre-cancerous conditions that will need some treatment. But don't let these facts lull you into complacency. All lumps should be checked thoroughly.
7. Herbal remedies and dietary supplements can help treat breast cancer.
No herbal remedy, dietary supplement or alternative therapy has been scientifically proven to treat breast cancer. Further, doctors do not know how these alternative medicines may interact with established medicines - if they cause their own side effects or interfere with the traditional therapy's effectiveness.
8. I eat a healthy diet, which will make me immune to breast cancer.
Diet does play a role in cancer development, but not by itself. No one food or vitamin will prevent breast cancer. At the same time, no one food is responsible for causing cancer. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and strive to get a variety of nutrients.
9. My mammogram was normal, so I don't have to worry about breast cancer.
While mammography does catch the vast majority of breast cancers, it is only one screening tool. Women should also have a breast exam done by their health care provider each year. If you feel a lump, always get it checked out, even if your last mammogram was clear. Also, it's important to get a mammogram every year. "The power of screening comes with regular annual exams," Helvie says. Doctors will look at previous years' mammograms to assess changes in the breast over time.
10. I was called back for "extra views" after my mammogram. That must mean I have cancer.
Extra views may be necessary because there's a shadow on the image. A mass may turn out to be a benign cyst. Most of the time, no further tests are necessary once the new images are reviewed.
11. Mammograms are painful.
Is it comfortable? No. But it doesn't need to be excruciatingly painful, and most women will say it's not. Pre-menopausal women should schedule their exam for the first two weeks of their menstrual cycle, when their breasts are less tender. If you find mammograms are painful, talk to the technologist performing it. The amount of compression used can vary, so the technologist can ease up on the squishing if it's unbearable. Just keep in mind that more compression leads to a better image for the radiologist to read - so there's a payoff to that bit of discomfort. Don't think having a digital mammogram will get you out of it either. Digital mammography works the same as standard mammography by requiring compression.
12. If I have a breast biopsy, the surgeon might continue during that operation to remove my entire breast without telling me.
Before the biopsy operation, you will sign an informed consent form that explains exactly what procedure will be performed. Many years ago, surgeons would remove a suspicious mass, biopsy it on the spot and proceed to mastectomy if it showed signs of cancer. Today, it does not happen that way. Women have many more treatment options and a surgeon will always discuss these options with patients after a biopsy.
13. My breast lump is painful, so it must not be cancer since cancerous lumps are supposed to be painless.
Generally breast cancers are painless, but pain alone cannot rule out cancer. Some women also believe that a painless lump must not be cancer. Again, not true. There's no correlation between whether the lump is painful and whether it's cancerous. Any lump should be checked by a doctor.
14. If cancer is exposed to air during surgery, it will spread.
Surgery will not cause the cancer to spread. "The only thing that will promote cancer spread is a delay in diagnosis and failure to treat the cancer," says Lisa Newman, M.D., MPH, director of the U-M Breast Care Center.
15. Radiation therapy is dangerous and will burn my heart, ribs and lungs.
Current radiation techniques are safe and effective for treating breast cancer, with few complications. Methods used today minimize exposure to the heart, ribs and lungs. Women may experience a darkening of the skin during the course of treatment or a sunburn-like reddening. This will clear up after treatment is through.
16. Participating in a clinical trial is good for others but not for me.
Clinical research can offer high-quality care for everyone. In all clinical trials, the minimum any woman would receive is standard treatment. In some trials, participants receive standard treatment plus a new approach, such as a new drug or a new way to use an old drug. In other studies, researchers are seeking more answers about the biology of the cancer or the effects of the treatment, so that new ideas can be generated. In these cases, patients' participation may be as simple as having an extra tube of blood drawn or answering a survey.
"I think every woman should ask her doctor, 'What clinical trial can I be on?' At least they should hear the options. Through clinical trials, we will continue to take good care of patients today, and better care of their sisters and daughters in the future," says Daniel Hayes, M.D., clinical director of the U-M breast oncology program. "Studies have shown women who participate in clinical trials do better in the long run than those who do not."
Some 212,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and more than 40,000 will die from it, according to the American Cancer Society. For information about breast cancer, go to www.cancer.med.umich.edu/cancertreat/breast/index.shtml or call the CancerAnswerLine at 800-865-1125.
Written by Nicole Fawcett
Resumen de mitos comunes acerca de posibles causantes del cancer de mama.
Common misconceptions:
There are a number of “myths” about the risk factors and causes of breast cancer that sound plausible but have little or no scientific theory or data to support them.
There is no body of evidence that an increased risk for breast cancer can be attributed to:
- The use of antiperspirants
- Wearing a bra
- A blow or injury to the breast
- drinking milk
- having silicon breast implants
- Having a mammogram
Breast cancer myths - how are they generated?
The origin of most myths is not known, but the Internet and email has helped spread many of them. It is natural for people to look for an explanation that is easily understood about why they or a loved one has breast cancer. Many myths are attractive because they seem to offer a course of action that could help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
How to distinguish fact from fiction
It is not always easy to distinguish fact from fiction and myth from reality, especially if you are not an expert in science and medicine. It is important that people are not unduly worried or misled by information about breast cancer.
To ensure that you get the most accurate and up-to-date information on breast cancer, use authoritative and reputable sources such as:
- Talk to your doctor or another healthcare professional, such as the nurse at the local community health centre
- Call The Cancer Council's Cancer Helpline - 13 11 20 from anywhere in Australia, operated by the state and territory Cancer Councils. For the price of a local call, you can talk with trained professionals who can answer your questions and send you additional information
- Search this website for additional information and for links to other websites
- Be skeptical of information that is not from recognized medical and scientific experts
Some guidance for use of the Internet
There are thousands of Internet sites of variable quality and veracity. It is important to remember that anyone can put information on to the Internet with no requirements for scrutiny or accuracy.
To ensure the credibility of information, check out who set up the site, when it was last updated, and that there are references to authoritative journals and institutions.
The use of antiperspirants
Is wearing deodorant linked to breast cancer?
There have been claims that using antiperspirant deodorant can cause breast cancer. This is based around a theory that antiperspirants cause toxins to build up in the lymph glands of the armpit, which then cause cancer in the breast tissue. Other people worry about chemicals contained in deodorants getting into the body through the skin and travelling to the breasts.
There is no quality evidence which shows the use of antiperspirant deodorants is associated with or causes breast cancer.
Wearing a bra
This explanation for the higher rates of breast cancer in developed countries was generated by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, a husband and wife anthropology team, in their book "Dressed to Kill", published in 1995. They claim that tight-fitting bras constrict the lymph system, causing toxins to accumulate in the breasts and cause cancer.
This is not based on a credible hypothesis, for many of the reasons outlined in The use of antiperspirants and because lack of blood supply or increased pressure is not what causes normal cells to become cancerous. Although these researchers included some data from studies in their book to link bra wearing with breast cancer, these data have not been subject to peer review and have been criticized for lack of appropriate scientific controls.
There is a possible link between large breast size and an increased risk for breast cancer in post-menopausal women, but this is accounted for in part by the fact that obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer.
A blow or injury to the breast
A blow or injury to the breast does not cause breast cancer, but it can draw attention to a pre-existing lump. An injury can damage tissue and blood supplies, but does not damage the genetic material in the cells. It is errors in the replication of this genetic material that is the basis for the development of a cancer cell from a normal cell. If you have breast pain as a result of a blow or otherwise, then consult your doctor.
Drinking milk
There have been a number of claims that the consumption of cows' milk can increase the risk for breast cancer. There are several issues to consider.
- There is some evidence that drinking milk with a high fat content may increase the risk of breast cancer, but this is thought to be due to the link between obesity and breast cancer as drinking skim milk seems to protect against cancer
- Certain chemicals and pesticides, some of which have been shown to cause cancer, do show up as contaminants in both cows' milk and human milk. At this time there is no strong evidence to link these chemicals with increased risk for breast cancer, although this cannot be excluded. In Australia the levels of these contaminants in milk products is subject to testing and regulation
- An argument is made that cows treated with bovine growth hormone (BST) have increased levels of a chemical called insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in their milk, and high blood levels of IGF-1 in humans have been linked with breast and prostate cancers. However it is not known if IGF-1 found in cows' milk can affect humans. More importantly, the use of BST is currently banned in Australia
- Additional claims that estrogen in cows' milk can affect women's breast tissue and cause cancer or that other, unspecified, milk compounds can cause estrogen release in women have not been substantiated
Silicone breast implants
Silicone breast implants are not linked to breast cancer risk. A large study on the long-term effects followed women with silicone breast implants for more than 10 years and showed no increased risk.
Some earlier studies of shorter duration actually showed exposure to implants reduced a woman's risk for breast cancer.
The guidelines for breast health and screening are also applicable to women with breast
Mammograms
The known benefits of mammograms in the early detection of cancer far outweigh the very small potential risks of them causing cancer. The potential risk exists because exposure to ionizing radiation can cause cancer. However given the limited number of mammograms a woman has in her lifetime, and the standards of the mammographic equipment in use today, the increased radiation exposure from a mammogram is no more than that from taking a plane flight across Australia.
Substantial exposure to X-rays, especially in childhood, is associated with an increased risk of cancer in later life. In the past, women who received treatment for scoliosis (curvature of the spine) in childhood and adolescence have been shown to have an increased risk of dying of breast cancer. Today, more care is taken with these treatments and this is less likely to be the case.