Counter-Fact: Doctor Demystifies Myths About Breast Cancer

By Kaila Contreras, Editor-in-Chief

Update

11.15 AM CDT, Thursday 18 October 2018

Do you know what causes breast cancer? Do you wear your bra to sleep too much? Is it contagious?

Although medical experts can not identify the exact cause of breast cancer, they agree that some of the myths surrounding breast cancer are damaging and false.

Chirag Parghi, Medical Director of Kingwood and Conroe Breast Centers, has heard many myths about breast cancer throughout her medical career. from minor myths to some that he deems "disturbing".

"Mammograms cause cancer. I can not stand this. So (people) read uncontrolled and unsupervised content on non-evidence-based Internet forums, where they see that mammograms expose you to radiation and cause cancer. Mammograms expose you to radiation, but flying in an airplane also exposes you to radiation, "Parghi said.

Parghi said that exposure to radiation during a mammography examination is very minimal.

"Mammograms do not cause cancer, they help detect early cancer and this is evidence-based," Parghi said.

Another myth he has heard is that women under 40 can not get a mammogram.

Women under 40 who feel they should have a mammogram can do so, but Parghi first suggests other methods to detect any signs of breast cancer.

"It is (around) the age of 30 when you start to consider a mammogram before (this age), unless it is in extreme circumstances, we do not consider a mammogram," he said. said Parghi.

Parghi also heard that teenage girls can not have breast cancer. Although the risk of breast cancer is low, this is possible, he said.

"Some forms of cancer can occur (but) they are very, very, very rare," said Parghi.

Another false claim is that women who sleep with a bra are at greater risk of breast cancer, he said.

"Absolutely wrong, 100% wrong. There is no evidence of that and nothing supports this claim, "said Parghi. … "People can make unconfirmed assumptions and in one way or another, this does not provide the standard for double-blind examinations."

Parghi said that sometimes people assume how one can contract breast cancer after studying the habits of a family diagnosed.

"People put their own cause on things, and it's not tested." The standard for applying on the Internet and in gossip circles is very low because it does not need to be evidence-based. just say it and it's becoming true, it's not the standard for evidence-based medicine, "said Parghi.

Scientists know that genetics play a role in the development of some cancers, but breast cancer is not a hereditary disease, as some claim, "he said.

"Most cases of breast cancer are not genetic, they are spontaneous. This may happen for the first time in their family and it is not a genetic thing. That said, there are certain types (of cancer) and we are actually learning that better understand genetic mutations in breast cancer. So there are panel tests if you are eligible depending on when they were diagnosed. The younger they were diagnosed, the more qualified they were for such tests, "said Parghi.

However, the impact of the breed on breast cancer is not a myth, he said.

"African Americans have a higher incidence of breast cancer," said Parghi. Ashkenazi Jewish patients have a significantly increased risk of breast cancer. Their culture is a largely limited pool of Jewish Ashkenazi families remaining (and) they have a higher incidence of many diseases … it's a high-risk population for many diseases, not just breast cancer. "

Although no definite cause of breast cancer has yet been identified in the medical field, some commonly associated risk factors may increase the risk of breast cancer, such as obesity, women.

Parghi recommends that women age 20 or older undergo a monthly breast exam to determine if they feel a lump on their chest and women over 40 to undergo an annual mammogram.

Parghi will speak on October 30 at 17:30. Kingwood Medical Center to answer all your questions about breast cancer.

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