Many useful sources of cancer information can be found on the internet. Unfortunately, Myths are used to spread fear by perpetuating falsehoods and beliefs that many people believe to be true.
Table of Contents
1. Myth- A cancer diagnosis is a death sentence
Fact: Cancer has never been thought of as a death sentence, and survival rates are on the rise. In the previous 25 years, the death rate from cancer in the United States has decreased by 27%. Thyroid, breast, and prostate cancer patients had a 90 percent five-year survival rate. Reduced smoking rates, early detection, and treatment are all important contributors to this shift. The types of treatment available and the extent to which cancer has spread are two more factors that influence survival rates.
2. Myth- Cancer can be cured by reducing sugar consumption
Fact: Though it’s a frequent misperception that cancer thrives on sugar, a healthy diet isn’t enough to prevent cancer. The fact that cancer cells use more glucose than normal cells may be the source of this fallacy. Sugar reduction or elimination, on the other hand, will not decrease cancer cells. Sugar consumption has been connected to obesity, which is associated with an increased risk of cancer.
Read More: Breast Cancer: Symptoms and Treatment
3. Myth-Artificial sweeteners are known to cause cancer.
Fact: Chemicals aren’t used to make artificial sweeteners, and they don’t contain anything that can cause cancer. The FDA has authorized the majority of them. They’re simply a sugar-free approach to sweetening dishes.
To fully comprehend the link between sugar in the diet and cancer, more research is required. Blood sugar (glucose) is the source of energy for all cells, including cancer cells. Giving cancer cells more sugar, on the other hand, does not cause them to proliferate faster. Similarly, restricting cancer cells from sugar does not affect their growth rate.
This mistake may stem from a misunderstanding of positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which use a little amount of radioactive tracer usually a type of glucose to produce images. This tracer is absorbed by all tissues in your body, but tissues that use more energy, such as cancer cells, absorb more. As a result, some people believe that cancer cells grow quicker when they are fed sugar. This, however, is not the case.
4. Myth-Cancer will spread as a result of a biopsy or surgery.
Fact: This is a particularly perilous misunderstanding. Early detection is one of the most effective weapons in the battle against cancer, and skipping tests and treatment can reduce your chances of survival. Some individuals believe that malignancies that have been exposed to the air, pierced by a needle, or surgically removed may spread to other tissues. There is no surgical evidence that cancer spreads when people are exposed to the air. During surgery, modern surgeons also take precautions to guarantee that cancer cells do not spread to other parts of the body.
Read More: 10 Best Practical Ways to Reduce Processed Foods Consumption
5. Myth- Cancer cures are being kept from the public.
Fact: Cures are either too expensive to develop or the government utilizes disease to control the population, according to some views that perpetuate this fallacy. Neither of these views, however, is correct.
In the fight against cancer, the FDA and cancer care providers around the world are constantly making progress. Every treatment, however, must pass stringent safety checks to guarantee that it poses no dangers. Developing medicines that are both safe and effective can take a long time to reach the market.
6. Myth- Cancer is a modern disease that people have created
Fact: Cancer existed long before we could imagine, although people have developed numerous things that are harmful to the environment. Cancer has been identified in dinosaur bones. A 240 million-year-old turtle ancestor’s femur was recently discovered with evidence of bone cancer. Longer life expectancy and improved diagnostic technologies make it appear like there is more cancer nowadays.
Read More: 10 Food With High Calories To Gain Weight
7. Myth- Smartphones are linked to cancer.
Fact: There is currently no evidence to back up the claim that cell phones can cause cancer. Gene mutations cause cancer, whereas the low-frequency radiation generated by cell phones does not cause gene mutations. Several research on the link between cell phones and cancer have been undertaken, but no correlation has been established.
8. Myth- Advances in technology mean we should have cured cancer by now.
Fact: Cancer is a complex disease that causes healthy human cells to become mutated. The term “cancer” is used to cover approximately 100 diseases that are often related but have distinct characteristics. Furthermore, the cells continue to alter throughout the disease, making research more difficult. Although significant progress has been achieved in cancer detection and therapy, there is still more to learn.
Read More: Top 10 Best Hospitals In The World
9. Myth- Cancer is a contagious disease.
Fact: While having a family history of cancer increases one’s chances of getting it, no cancer can be passed down from generation to generation. The chances of an organ transplant recipient contracting cancer from donor tissue are extremely slim. Surgeons, on the other hand, avoid using organs from individuals who have had malignancies. Some cancer-causing infections (such as HPV) can be passed from one person to another, but cancer is not contagious.
10. Myth- Cancer can be prevented by eating superfoods.
Fact: A nutritious diet can make you feel better, but it won’t get cancer out of your system. Raw fruits and vegetables are a healthy lifestyle supplement that can help you avoid obesity and other cancer concerns. Superfoods are merely healthy dietary options, not superfoods.
