With more than 58,000 new cases reported in 2018 in France, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. As Pink October begins, the awareness campaign, let's update our knowledge and unravel the true from the false.
- Put on deodorant or wear an underwired bra promotes breast cancer
False . An experiment, conducted on mice, had pointed to a link between antiperspirant deodorants that contain aluminum salts and the appearance of cancerous tumors. It has since been contradicted by several well-documented scientific studies. As for bras, whether underwired or not, no link with the onset of cancer has been demonstrated.
- Men can get breast cancer too
True . Men can also be affected by this pathology. However, these cases are rare, representing only 1% of the total number of breast cancers diagnosed each year.
- Breast implants are a risk
False . These implants do not increase the risk of developing breast cancer. They also do not prevent regular mammography screening.
- Obesity is an aggravating factor
True . Obesity and weight gain after menopause increase the risk of breast cancer. A large study, published in 2017 in the British Medical Journal, highlighted the links between obesity and several types of cancer, mainly digestive or "hormone-dependent", such as breast cancer.
- Breast cancer is necessarily of genetic origin
False . Only 5 to 10% of cancers are of genetic origin and 85% are sporadic and isolated. Half of breast cancers have no identified cause.
Sources:Foundation for Medical Research (FRM); Cancerdusein.org, E-cancer.fr.
Three key figures on breast cancer
- Over 80% of women affected by breast cancer are aged 50 and over.
- If you are over 50, your GP or gynecologist will have you have a mammogram every two years, or every year if he deems it necessary.
- Breast cancer can be cured in 9 out of 10 cases when detected at an early stage. “Five years after diagnosis, 99 out of 100 women are still alive when breast cancer is diagnosed at an early stage; they are only 26 out of 100 when it is detected at an advanced stage”, specifies the National Cancer Institute (Inca)
Pink October, for action and information
Every year in October, events are held all over France with the pink ribbon as a symbol. Created in 1994 by the association Breast cancer, let's talk about it!, the great Pink October mobilization campaign is thus marking its 26th edition in 2020. Its objectives are to raise women's awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer. breast and collect donations for medical research.
