Breast cancer is a lot more common than you think. Just nak highlight betapa prevalent it is, more than 3 million women are living with breast cancer dekat USA je.
Dekat Malaysia pula, an average of one out of 20 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and approximately 8,418 new cases are reported setiap tahun. Despite being the most common cancer among women, there are so many misconceptions about breast cancer out there.
These popular-yet-scientifically-wrong-ideas about breast cancer often cause groundless worry or worse, hinder treatment decisions. Yes, kita tahu that it is not the Pink Month, but tak salah untuk kita take a look at some of the most common myths and misconceptions about breast cancer.
Myth: You will get breast cancer if you have a family history of the disease
Fact: According to research, sebenarnya only 10% of breast cancer patients have a family history of the disease (most women with breast cancer don’t). Having said that, family history is a known risk factor for breast cancer. Breast cancer risks are twice as high for women with a first-degree female relative (e.g. mother, sister or daughter) diagnosed with breast cancer, and lima kali ganda tinggi kalau two first-degree relatives have been diagnosed.
Myth: You have breast cancer if you’ve found a lump in the breast
Fact: Only a small percentage of breast lumps turn out to be cancer. Tapi ni bukan maknanya you should ignore a persistent lump in your breast. When in doubt, see a doctor for a clinical breast exam or breast imaging studies.
Myth: Men don’t get breast cancer
Fact: Ye, lelaki pun boleh dapat breast cancer. That said, the chance of that happening is extremely small (dalam 1 in 1000 statistically). This is because the breast duct cells in men are less developed than those of women. Lagipun, men have a lower level of female hormones (some of which are known to increase breast cancer risk).
Myth: Cancer is a death sentence
Fact: It doesn’t have to be. Breast cancer is highly curable, lagi-lagi bila it is found at an early stage (when the cancer has not spread beyond the lymph nodes). In developed countries such as the US, Japan and Sweden, kebanyakan wanita survive breast cancer. Thanks to huge progress in breast cancer treatment, purata kematian sebabkan breast cancer in these countries have declined dramatically in recent years, with survival rates exceeding 80%.
Taking Charge Of Your Health
There are steps you can take to reduce your risks of breast cancer, even if you are at risk for the disease, seperti having a strong family history. These include:
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Be physically active
- Control your weight
- Quit smoking
- Avoid working night shifts
- Minimise the dose & duration of hormone therapy
Yang paling penting, you should perform routine breast self-exams as well as mammogram screening. Remember, early detection significantly increases the survival rate of breast cancer.
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Disclaimer: Our content is strictly for educational and informational purposes only. Healthlah.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
