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FeedQUIZ: Breast Cancer Myths and Truths
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Test your breast cancer knowledge with this simple quiz.
1. True or False: Using antiperspirants will increase my risk of getting breast cancer.
Answer: False. This frightening claim was widely circulated on the Internet, but the American
Cancer Society refutes it, saying there is very little scientific evidence to support the theory.
2. True or False: Having a family history of breast cancer means that I will get it too.
Answer: False. Women who have a family history of breast cancer do have a higher risk than
women who don’t, but about 85 percent of women diagnosed do not have a family history. Bottom line: Take your breast care seriously by doing regular self-exams and by having mammograms as often as your doctor recommends.
3. True or False: Finding a lump means I have breast cancer.
Answer: False. Eighty percent of lumps in the breast are not cancerous. Still, it is important that you see a physician immediately if you
discover a change in your breast tissue or a persistent lump.
4. True or False: There’s nothing I can do to reduce my risk of getting breast cancer.
Answer: False. A healthy lifestyle can help lower your risk of developing breast cancer. As little as four hours a week of exercise can lower your risk. A nutritious, low-fat diet with plenty of fruits
and vegetables also helps because fat triggers estrogen production that can fuel tumor growth.
5. True or False: Men don’t get breast cancer.
Answer: False. Women have 100 times more breast tissue than men, and are about 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer. But men are by no means immune.
Sources: American Cancer Society, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
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