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FACT or FICTION?

© Linda Bily

1. A woman dies from breast cancer every 11 minutes in the United States. Sad, but TRUE.

Now that I have your attention, maybe we can put to rest some of the more outrageous mysths about this disease. If you are like me, your knowledge about breast cancer is fuzzy. Until I was diagnosed, I wasn't really worried about getting cancer. Cancer didn't run in my family. I did breast exams sporadically and had a baseline mammogram at age 40.

I wore a pink ribbon and donated to the local breast center's annual fund-raising campaign. I knew I wasn't doing everything I could to stay in peak physical condition, but I was happy with the status quo. I was 47 years old, 5'2", 110 lbs. and felt good. I smoked about a half-pack of cigarettes a day. I knew I should quit, but as I told my kids "It's my only bad habit". I was so smug, it was sickening. I had a brutal reality check July 1998. That was when I found "the lump".

Please test your own misconceptions about breast cancer. If you are healthy - great! If you have been diagnosed, hopefully these facts will clear up some of your fears. If you are a family member or friend of any woman, you owe it to yourself and to her to learn as much as you can about this disease.

Please remember that I have no medical training. I am a breast cancer survivor. I have done extensive research on this disease and try to keep up with the latest news and issues. All descriptions presented are my personal take on these items. You can check out the facts at any of the reputable websites listed below.

2. All breast lumps are cancerous. FALSE. Many lumps are small, fluid-filled cysts or benign (non-cancerous) tumors. Some women are prone to fibrocystic breasts, which is just a fancy term for breast changes which are not cancerous. All lumps should be brought to the attention of your doctor.

3. A mammogram can definitively rule out a cancer diagnosis. FALSE. Mammograms are not 100% accurate. Breast cancer is discovered by the woman herself 25% of the time, by mammography 35% and by a combination of mammogram and self-exam and/or clinical exam (breast examination by the doctor) 40%. Mammography is still the best tool we have to diagnosis breast disease. It is recommended that most women have a baseline mammogram at age 40. This is the starting point for comparison in the coming years. You should schedule your mammos faithfully each year thereafter. In some cases, such as a family history of disease, your doctor might recommend a mammogram before age 40.