Busting Breast Cancer Myths

From Family History to Mammograms, Williamson Health’s Elizabeth Schaeffer, NP-C, Helps Patients Cut through the Confusion

For forty years, October has been Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Yet myths still cloud how people understand risks, symptoms and screenings. Elizabeth Schaeffer, certified nurse practitioner at Williamson Health’s Turner-Dugas Breast Health Center, clears up some of the most common misconceptions.

The Myths

Only women with a family history are at risk.

“A family history of breast cancer does elevate your risk for developing cancer,” Schaeffer said, “but women with no family history or genetic mutation can also develop breast cancer.”

According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, and those with first—or second-degree relatives with the disease—mothers, siblings, children and grandmothers, aunts or nieces—face increased risk. But, Schaeffer said, a family history of breast cancer also doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to develop the disease.

“Just because your mother or grandmother had breast cancer, it doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get it,” she said. “That is a myth, too.”

Men can’t get breast cancer.

While rare, men can and do develop breast cancer. Being female is the greatest risk factor for the disease, but aging, family history and genetic mutations also raise men’s risk. Schaeffer urged men who notice any changes, such as a lump, to talk to their physician.

A lump is the only sign of breast cancer.

“Often, breast cancer has no symptoms, so that’s why routine screenings like mammograms are so important,” Schaeffer said. Discovering a lump in your breast can be distressing, but further testing may be needed, which could range from a benign mass or cyst to cancer.

Pain also isn’t necessarily an indicator of cancer. “Most breast cancers are painless, even if it’s traveled to the lymph nodes,” Schaeffer said.

“Because breast cancer can develop without many symptoms, it’s incredibly important to get your yearly mammogram. It is the gold standard of breast cancer detection,” Schaeffer said. Most women should begin yearly screenings at age forty, though those at higher risk may need to start earlier.

If you have dense breast tissue, mammograms are useless.

Dense breast tissue can make mammograms more difficult for radiologists to read, but the screenings remain critical. Additional imaging, such as ultrasound or MRI, may be recommended for women with dense breast tissue.

“You should also do increased self-exams just to become familiar with what’s normal with your body so you can quickly detect any changes,” Schaeffer said. Federal law now requires women to be notified if they have dense breast tissue, so they are armed with that information for all future screenings.

The Facts

A breast cancer diagnosis does not mean an inevitable bad prognosis.

“If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, we have a lot of successful therapies we can use so that you can have a successful outcome and live a very long life after breast cancer,” Schaeffer said. Most importantly, Schaeffer urges women to perform monthly self-exams (ideally three to five days after menstruation) and begin yearly mammograms at forty or as recommended by their doctor.

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Williamson Health’s Turner-Dugas Breast Health Center offers award-winning breast cancer care, from diagnosis to remission—focusing on treatment, empowerment and survivorship. Nationally recognized for its exceptional facilities and level of care, the Turner-Dugas Breast Health Center offers state-of-the-art technology, exceptional expertise and compassionate care. Learn more at williamsonhealth.org/breast-health.