Breast Cancer Risks: True or False?
We believe information is your friend, especially information about your health. There are many inaccuracies and myths about breast cancer that can confound and confuse women. So today we’d like to test your knowledge – are the following true risks for breast cancer, meaning they increase your chance of developing the disease?
Try to answer for yourself before heading to the answers further down the page!
Risk or not?
- Obesity
- Age over 40
- Deodorant use
- Moderate or heavy alcohol use
- Smoking
- Large breast size
- Breast-feeding
- Having dense breasts on your mammogram
- Hair dyes
- Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
- Underwire bras
- Personal history of radiation to the chest for malignancies such as lymphoma
- Having breast implants
How’s your breast knowledge?
NOT risks for breast cancer:
- Deodorant use
- Large breast size – or small breasts – your size matters not!
- Breast-feeding (surprise – this actually slightly decreases your risk!)
- Hair dye
- Underwire bras – or any bras – again, matters not!
- Having breast implants
True risks for breast cancer:
- Age over 40 – and being female – your TOP TWO RISKS!
- Obesity
- Moderate or heavy alcohol use
- Smoking
- Having dense breasts on your mammogram
- Family history of breast or ovarian cancer
- Personal history of radiation to the chest/breast for malignancies such as lymphoma
We hope this tour through common risks and common suspected risks has helped your knowledge about breast cancer.
Take charge of your health and do all you can to limit those risks that you can do something about. Early detection through screening with mammography and breast exams is still our best defense against this disease!
