Dispelling myths about breast cancer

What is breast cancer?

Breast cancer is a disease where breast cells grow out of control. The breast comprises three main parts: ducts, lobules, and connective tissues. Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules and can be invasive, spreading from the breast to other body parts. When that occurs, the breast cancer is said to have metastasised.  Breast cancer also consists of a range of types.

Types of Breast Cancer

The different types of breast cancer can be classified into two sub-groups: common and less common.

The most common types include:

• Invasive ductal carcinoma: This type starts in the ducts and spreads to nearby breast tissue. This is the most common type worldwide.
• Lobular breast cancer: This type of breast cancer starts in the lobules and spreads to nearby breast tissue.
• Ductal carcinoma in situ(DCIS): This type of breast cancer also starts in the ducts, but it is not invasive, meaning it doesn’t spread to other parts of the body.

The less common types include:

• Triple-negative breast cancer: This aggressive type spreads faster than other breast cancers.
• Inflammatory breast cancer is rare and fast-growing and appears as a rash on your breast.
• Paget’s disease of the breast: This rare type also affects the skin on your nipple and may look like a rash.

Popular myths vs. facts about breast cancer

Myth 1: Men can’t get breast cancer

Fact: It may not be as rampant as in women, but men can get breast cancer. According to the World Health Organization(WHO), approximately 0.5 to 1% of breast cancers occur in men.

Myth 2: No lump means no breast cancer

Fact: Most breast cancers may not be palpable and can be detected on screening mammograms. This is most common for the ductal carcinoma in situ(DCIS) type of breast cancer mainly because it is not invasive.

Myth 3: Carrying a phone in your bra can cause breast cancer

Fact: There is no evidence to support the claim that phones in the bra can cause breast cancer, but no long-term studies are yet to suggest that this may not be true. Nevertheless, it is advised to carry phones in purses, bags or pockets.

Myth 3: Not all lumps in the breast signal breast cancer

Fact: Not all lumps in the breast are cancerous. Most non-cancerous lumps in the breast are benign and can be cysts or fibroadenomas.

Myth 4: Breast cancer can only occur if you’re older

Fact: It is true that with age comes a higher risk of getting breast cancer; however, there have been cases where women under the age of 40 and women in their 20s have had breast cancer. These cases are more likely if there’s a family history of breast cancer.

Myth 5: Underwire bras can increase the risk of breast cancer

Fact: Underwire bras do not cause or increase the risk of breast cancer, but underwire bras are not encouraged to be worn by women because they can irritate the breast, which may lead to infection.

Myth 6: Breast injuries can cause breast cancer

Fact: Accidents that cause a big physical impact on the breast can cause hematoma, a build-up of blood in the breast but not cancer-causing.

Myth 7: Breast pain is not always a sign of breast cancer

Fact: Most breast pain can also indicate non-cancerous issues such as cysts.

Myth 8: Women with bigger breasts are more likely to have breast cancer

Fact: There is no correlation between breast size and risk of breast cancer. However, being obese or having dense breasts can increase the risk of breast cancer. Dense breasts have a higher proportion of glandular and fibrous tissue than fatty tissue.

Myth 9: A family history of breast cancer increases the risk of breast cancer

Fact: Many other factors apart from genes can increase your risk of breast cancer. According to WHO, most women with breast cancer have no family history.

Myth 10: Sucking your partner’s breasts can reduce the risk of breast cancer

Fact: While there are proven studies that show the benefits of breastfeeding in reducing the risk of breast cancer, no studies suggest that the sucking done by a woman’s partner can lead to a lower risk or prevention.

As the world’s most prevalent disease, survival rates have significantly improved. However, in Ghana, there are over 4,000 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, and about half of them die. Most of the time, their diagnosis comes at the advanced stages of breast cancer. This makes it more difficult to treat it on time.

Healthcare in Ghana is very expensive, so chemotherapy and taking the necessary drugs become a struggle for most patients. Therefore, it is important that self-examinations, regular screenings, and general breast cancer awareness go beyond October.

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