In 2005, a study was published in the "International Journal of Cancer" that assessed whether preschool diets contributed to breast cancer risks manifesting at a later age. The "Daily Mail" then reported that feeding your preschool daughter about five French fries a week "raises [her] risk of breast cancer by 27 percent."
As the first large cancer risk study on childhood diets, this "fact" was largely considered truth until in 2010, when two large studies were conducted to search for the link between the chemical acrylamide (found in foods cooked at high temperatures) and the risk for breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. The studies, published in "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention," found no link.
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Myth No. 4: Having an abortion increases your risk of getting breast cancer
Fact: "What we know is that women who have had children and who have had full-term pregnancies have a reduced risk of getting breast cancer," says Birhiray. According to the "Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia," women who complete a first full-term pregnancy before turning 20 have half the risk of developing breast cancer as women whose first full-term pregnancy is after 30. "I believe some people have taken the opposite to also be true, meaning that if you don't complete a full-term [such as induced abortions or miscarriages], you're raising your risk of getting the disease," says Birhiray. "And there is no clear evidence that that is true."
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Myth No. 5: Large breasts mean an increased risk of breast cancer
Fact: This is another myth that has no science to back it up, says Birhiray. While larger breasts may be harder to examine, and a tumor can theoretically go undetected, there is no proven link between breast size and breast cancer, says the doctor, who explains the rational for the myth: "It appears that women who get a breast reduction have lower risks of developing breast cancer -- but the opposite doesn't hold true. There's no convincing data that your cup size contributes to your risk."
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Myth No. 6: Dyeing your hair causes breast cancer
Fact: Believe it or not, some hair dyes are estrogen-based -- and high levels of this hormone is a known cause of breast cancer. As a result, some think that those who dye their hair frequently, or who work with it as hair colorists, are absorbing a toxic amount of the hormone. "But the truth is that the amount of estrogen absorbed from hair dyes is really small, and there's no convincing evidence that it can increase the risk of developing breast cancer," says Birhiray.
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Myth No. 7: Coffee causes breast cancer
Fact: This is one of those myths that probably started thanks to a crazy co-worker who wanted the last cup of coffee in the office break room. Birhiray says there is no connection between caffeine and breast cancer. In fact, a 10-year-long study published in the "International Journal of Cancer" found that over the course of a decade, women who drink four or more cups of coffee a day have the same risk of breast cancer as women who rarely drink caffeine. Bottom line: "If you consume a reasonable amount of caffeine, your risk of developing breast cancer isn't going to go up or down," says Birhiray.
Ahh, October. The leaves are falling, your man is caught up in baseball playoffs, you're wearing your deepest lipstick shades instead of gloss, and it looks like Pepto-Bismol exploded all over the country.
From pink, leopard-spotted rifles (yes, hunting rifles) to the Adam & Eve Natural Contours Pink Ribbon Vibrator, you can't take two steps without being reminded that it's Breast Cancer Awareness month.
We know you're rolling your eyes at the ridiculous number of salmon-hued paraphernalia inundating you this month. But if there's an upside to the pink product overkill, it's this: It often prompts us to slow down for a moment and wonder, "Am I really doing everything I can to prevent this life-threatening disease from happening to me?"
Sure it's easy to scoff at some of the more ridiculous behaviors that supposedly cause cancer, like gabbing on your cell phone for more than 10 minutes a day or eating too many French fries. But admit it -- instead of chalking these risk factors up to being totally ludicrous, you have a nagging suspicion that some of them might actually be true.
Breathe.
Before you drop $100 on a state-of-the-art cell phone headset or boycott McDonald's for good, keep reading. Dr. Ruemu E. Birhiray, MD, a leading oncologist in Indianapolis, debunks some of the most prevalent myths about what causes breast cancer, so we can focus on the risk factors that matter most.
