5 cancer myths

Cancer is surrounded by all kinds of myths that create ignorance fear and do nobody any good. Read on and debunk these top five cancer myths.

Cancer, for all the fear it invokes, is not some foreign thing that invades your body, like a virus or bacteria. Cancer is simply your own cells run amok. It develops when the built-in mechanisms designed to destroy damaged cells fail or become overwhelmed by the extent of the damaged cells.

Researchers from the American Cancer Society found out how much your average person knows about the disease. They were surprised to discover that there is a fair bit of ignorance when it comes to this disease. More than 25 percent of the 1,000 people surveyed believed the following statements were true

The risk of dying from cancer is increasing

Truth: This is not true in modern countries. In fact, the risk of dying is decreasing as we get better at diagnosing and treating cancer. Not only that, but the risk of developing certain cancers is also declining as people quit smoking and take other lifestyle steps to reduce their cancer risk.

Pollution is a greater risk factor for lung cancer than smoking.

Truth: While high levels of pollution can increase the risk of lung cancer, the increase is minuscule compared to smoking.

Physical injuries later in life cause cancer

Truth: It's genetic changes, not physical injuries, that cause most cancers.

Electronic devices like cell phones cause cancer.

Truth: Numerous studies have debunked the link between cell phones and brain cancer and between microwave ovens and cancer.

How you live when you're young has little effect on your risk of cancer later.

Truth: This is not the case with several habits when you’re in your youth. A single serious sunburn in your teens can set you up for melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, 30 years later. Smoking for even a year creates genetic damages in lung tissue cells that can trigger cancerous cells decades later.

In fact, some studies are now finding that the seeds of cancer could be sown in the womb depending on what your mother did when she was pregnant with you.

It is important to be well-informed about health and illness and knowledge about cancer is no exception. If you keep in mind that these five assumptions about the disease are untrue, you’ll be keep panic at bay and make better lifestyle choices.