Myth BUSTers

WITH SO MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT BREAST CANCER GOING AROUND, WE TAKE A FEW THINGS OFF OUR CHEST AND WELL, BUST SOME MYTHS! BY TENGKU ZAI

MYTH: STRESS CAN CAUSE BREAST CANCER. TRUTH: In short, there’s no scientific evidence to support this. However, other factors such as hormones, genetics and diet are more likely to play a role in causing the cancer. In a study conducted at the University Health Network and University of Toronto, Canada, a whopping 47 per cent of 400 women who’d been free of the disease for an average of nine years believe that cancer was due to stress. The study’s authors reckon that women blame stress as it gives them a sense of control over the sickness and enables them to make lifestyle changes. MYTH: IT’S ALL A MONEYMAKING CONSPIRACY! TRUTH: Yes, the breast cancer market will grow to what is believed to become a USD15 billion (RM50 billion) industry in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan by 2022 (this means a market growth rate of about five per cent per year), which is huge, but it’s only because there will be more premiumpriced novel therapies in the fight against the disease. This means that women will have more options at various stages of the ailment. MYTH: ONLY HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. TRUTH: Having a lackadaisical attitude towards cancer increases the risk of getting the illness. Reports find that women who don’t have a history of breast cancer in their family tend to be less concerned about conducting selfexaminations. But it’s important to know that history or no history, every woman’s breasts have a gland that can mutate into cancerous cells – something that can happen in the healthiest person too. So always think of your wellbeing, especially because unlike cervical cancer, there’s no prevention for breast cancer. Only regular check-ups can ensure you don’t allow the disease to reach a critical point before discovering it.