Oct 24, 2008
The New Paper
MYTH: At least half the women surveyed thought that having a lump in the breast is painful. Even more men thought a breast lump is painful.
FACT: Many cancerous beast lumps do not cause pain.
MYTH: Half of the women surveyed think that when breast cancer is diagnosed, the only treatment is to remove the breast. Two-thirds of the men think that.
FACT: Not all cancer treatment involves a mastectomy or removal of the whole breast.
MYTH: Six in 10 women and men think that after a breast is removed, the arm on the same side will become crippled.
FACT: With newer and better surgery techniques, many women go through mastectomies without impairing the use of their arms.
MYTH: Four in 10 women think that radiation from a mammogram can cause cancer. Six in 10 men believe that.
FACT: It does not.
KNOWLEDGE GAP
WHAT THEY KNOW: Only six in 10 women were able to list at least one symptom of breast cancer correctly. Fewer than five in 10 men could do so.
FACT: Breast cancer symptoms include a lump in the breast, rashes around the nipple and discharge from the nipple.
WHAT THEY KNOW: Only six in 10 women knew where to go for breast-screening or a mammogram. Only three in 10 men knew this.
FACT: All polyclinics and hospitals have breast-screening facilities.
WHAT THEY KNOW: Four in 10 women were not aware that with age, there is increasing incidence of breast cancer.
And four in 10 women believe that if they don't have any of the risk factors for breast cancer, they won't get breast cancer.
FACT: Being a woman and growing older are the risk factors for breast cancer.
The survey was conducted among 1,000 Asian women and 1,000 Asian men here.
This story was first published in The New Paper on Oct 22, 2008.
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