Breaking the Myths of Breast Cancer with Dr. Lisa Newman

There are unfortunately some very dangerous myths that persist in the general population that have caused and that continue to cause a lot of damage. Number one, many women remain fearful that if they have a breast biopsy, that opening up the tumor to air will cause the breast cancer to spread.

This is absolutely not true. If a bit abnormal lesion develops in the breast, a dangerous sign of breast cancer, the most dangerous thing that the woman can do is to ignore it. Early detection is critical. The biopsy does not make the cancer spread, avoiding diagnosis and avoiding treatment for that breast cancer is what can make the cancer spread.

Other things that we hear from women that are not true are fears that certain types of braziers can cause breast cancer or that deodorants certain types of ointments can cause breast cancer and this is not the case. Braziers do not cause breast cancer, deodorants do not cause breast cancer.

Hair dyes, certain types of shampoos and processing agents for the hair, these do not cause breast cancer either. We continue to learn more about the causes of breast cancer, but we never know for certain what caused breast cancer in any individual patient.