Breast cancer: Preconceived ideas, myths or reality?
Every October, Pink October shines a light on breast cancer, one of the most common cancers among women. There is a lot of information about it out there, and not all of it is accurate. Between preconceived ideas, half-truths and well-established facts, it isn't always easy to separate myth from reality.
So how much do you really know? Take our quiz to test your knowledge and find out the facts that matter, about prevention, screening, treatment and life after breast cancer.
Source: Haber, G., Ahmed, N. U., & Pekovic, V. (2012). Family history of cancer and its association with breast cancer risk perception and repeat mammography. American Journal of Public Health, 102(12), 2322–2329. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2012.300786
Source: Cancer site ranking. (2024b). In Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. International Agency for Research on Cancer. https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/cancers/20-breast-fact-sheet.pdf
When we talk about “breast cancer”, we often think of it as one single disease. In fact, there are several types. They differ in their origin, their biological behavior and their response to treatments. Understanding these differences helps explain why two patients can receive very different treatments for the same diagnosis.
Mastectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures used in the management of breast cancer. However, it is often not knowledge of how the operation is performed, its different forms, and what happens afterward can help people face this experience with a little more peace of mind.
Every year, nearly 2.3 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer, making it the most common cancer in women globally ¹. It is a cancer with a good prognosis: detected at an early stage, the 5-year survival rate exceeds 88%². This figure is a reminder of how individual vigilance can make a real difference, no matter where you live.
