Pancreatic cancer recognition month signifies increases in early detection

Scientists hope pancreatic cancer awareness month shines the spotlight on efforts for detection and treatment. Other cancers are more prevalent. Nevertheless, once diagnosed, pancreatic cancer is usually fatal. The disease that claimed actor Swayze’s life was thought to kill easily, but new research suggests that pancreatic cancer spreads slowly over years and there are recent breakthroughs in earlier detection and treatment.

Looking back at Breast cancer Awareness Month

192,370 new cases of breast cancer begun in 2009 while 62,280 early stage cancer of the breast was diagnosed, accounts American Cancer Society. Of those, more than 40,000 were forecasted to result in death. Also, lots of med were diagnosed this past year. 2,000 men were diagnosed. Of those, about 440 were predicted to die.

Things about breast cancer many think are true

• Breast cancer will occur with underwire bras

The false belief here is that by constricting breast tissue, underwire bras cause cancer-causing toxins to build up. This is not true according to Dr. Deborah Axelrod. This is what she told CBS.

• Breast Cancer comes from deodorant

Dr. Schnabel says this is false. Studies don't have anything in them about breast cancer being linked to deodorant. It has not been proven.

• Don't drink from plastic water bottles. They trigger cancer

Many say there is not any kind of link between plastic bottles and cancer-causing dioxin when others believe that there is a link. BPA (bisphenol) is one more substance of concern in plastic, however even that has not been definitively linked to cancer of the breast.

• Mammograms trigger cancer of the breast

Columbia Broadcasting System News heard Dr. Schnabel say that naturally, over three months, a woman's breast gets more radiation exposed to it than the .1 to .2 rads per picture a mammogram puts out.

• Lumpy breasts always mean greater risk

Detecting breast cancer is harder with lumpy breasts. There is not a greater risk for it though. However, Dr. Axelrod advises that it’s best to treat newly discovered breast lumps with caution and have a doctor investigate.

• No family history, no breast cancer

80 percent of breast cancer cases are sporadic, although it is possible to have it run in the family too.

Citations

Cancer.org

cancer.org/Research/CancerFactsFigures/BreastCancerFactsFigures/index

CBS News

cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20018296-10391704.html

Susan G. Komen ‘Survivor of the Year’ on ‘The Early Show’

youtube.com/watch?v=dqiDrDzzEk8