Common Misconceptions About Breast Cancer

THE TRUTH: The belief that 'if no one in my family has had breast cancer, I won't get it either' leads to routine screening being frequently neglected. However, more than 90 percent of breast cancers originate from non-hereditary factors.

Therefore, the vast majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history or genetic disorder. For this reason, it is vital that women without family history undergo mammography, ultrasound and breast examination as part of screening programs.

THE TRUTH: When we talk about family history in breast cancer, we typically only think of breast cancer seen in mothers and first-degree relatives. However, breast cancer on the father's side also increases risk in the same way. This is because half of the genes come from the mother and half from the father.

THE TRUTH: A palpable mass in the breast or under the arm is the most common and most important sign of breast cancer. Another commonly misunderstood aspect of breast cancer in society is the belief that the mass does not cause pain. Contrary to popular belief, 1-2 percent of patients experience pain in the breast and breast nipple.

THE TRUTH: The amount of radiation exposure during imaging with modern mammography equipment used today is equivalent to the amount of radiation received during approximately a few hours of air travel.

Prof. Dr. Metin Çakmakçı states, "Mammography used for screening and diagnostic purposes saves lives by enabling early breast cancer diagnosis. Therefore, every woman not at risk should not neglect annual mammography, ultrasound and clinical breast examination by a physician starting from age 40. In women at risk, these screenings begin at an earlier age."

THE TRUTH: According to research, giving birth before age 35 and breastfeeding for a long time slightly reduces breast cancer risk. However, being female is a significant risk factor for breast cancer on its own. Therefore, women who give birth early and breastfeed should not neglect their routine examinations, as they also carry the risk of breast cancer.

THE TRUTH: Claims that birth control pills increase the risk of breast cancer have not been scientifically proven. Prof. Dr. Metin Çakmakçı states, "Since birth control pills used today contain very low doses of estrogen and progesterone hormones, they are not expected to increase breast cancer risk. Clinical studies have also shown no results indicating that breast cancer risk is elevated in women using birth control pills."

THE TRUTH: The primary treatment for early-stage breast cancer is surgical intervention. General Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Metin Çakmakçı points out that significant advances have been made in surgical procedures over the years, stating: "In the past, breast cancer treatment typically involved mastectomy—surgical removal of the tumor along with breast tissue, some muscles under the breast, and lymph nodes under the arm. Today, except in special cases, women diagnosed with cancer can preserve their breast and the disease treatment achieves results with a natural breast appearance."

THE TRUTH: Contrary to common belief in society, performing a biopsy on the breast does not cause cancer to spread. Prof. Dr. Metin Çakmakçı emphasizes that cancer does not spread throughout the body from the touch of a needle or scalpel, continuing as follows:

"Every mass carrying cancer risk is diagnosed by pathology specialists through examination of samples taken under ultrasound, mammography or MRI guidance. The first step in early-stage breast cancer treatment is surgical intervention. Surgery does not spread cancer; on the contrary, it saves lives by removing the tumor.

We have three different tools available in treatment: Surgery, drug therapy and radiation therapy (radiotherapy). Although used in different ways and different sequences, all three are used in almost every patient. In early stages, the first treatment step is destroying the tumor through surgery and determining whether cancer cells are present in the lymph nodes under the arm.

We know that in some breast cancer types, starting with drug therapy first produces better results regardless of the stage. The term 'drug' should not immediately mean chemotherapy; today we have drugs with very different mechanisms of action that we use based on the tumor type and stage."