Top News

Tackling Some Myth Associated With Cancer

According to the data of the World Health Organization, cancer was the cause behind 10 million fatalities across the globe in the year 2020. It the leading cause of death across the world in recent times.

Tackling Some Myth Associated With Cancer

An estimated 39.5% of the population of the United States will have a positive diagnosis for cancer at some point in their lifetime.

Tackling Some Myth Associated With Cancer

Development and circulation of myth around such relevant and fatal conditions are not unlikely. However, it is important to remove the misunderstanding for a better future ahead.

Addressing some myth:

Cancer is a collective ad generic term that is used to address a condition that can affect any part of the body. It is important to note that a positive diagnosis of cancer does not mean a death sentence for the individual. 

For example, in 2019, there was an estimated population of 16.9 million cancer survivors alone in the United States.

It is important to note that the possibility of survival largely depends on the type of cancer; for instance, while the survival rate for testicular cancer is 98%, in the case of pancreatic cancer it is reduced to just 1%.

Cancer is not contagious:

A prevalent myth is that cancer can be contagious, which is baseless. An individual suffering from cancer cannot transmit it to someone else.

However, in the case of cervical and liver cancer caused by certain sexually transmitted diseases like hepatitis B and C, Human Papilloma Virus, the virus can be transmitted to others, but not cancer.

Similarly, it is also true that cancer surgery does not further propagate cancer, although in some cases that might be seen, such occurrences are extremely rare. 

Contrary to the myth, any cancerous tumor does not grow or spread faster following surgery.

Cancer is not caused by cables, phones, or sweeteners:

There is no evidence that cell phones can cause cancer. It is a myth that is based on the fact that cell phones give out radiofrequency radiation, but it is important to note that these are not ionizing radiations. Cancer can be caused by exposure to only ionizing radiation.

Similarly, power cables emit a very low frequency of electromagnetic fields. These are again non-ionizing in nature and do not cause cancer.

Furthermore, no scientific evidence has been found that consumption of aspartame, the main ingredient in artificial sweeteners, can cause cancer of any form.

 

Some other myths:

There are certain other myths circulating around cancer like it is genetic and runs in families, or herbal medicines can cure cancer.

However, none of these has any solid medical or scientific, or medical basis.

Although alternative medicine like yoga and acupuncture can help with pain am discomfort associated with cancer, they cannot treat the disease.

Similarly, a small fraction of cancer, roughly 3-10% of them, can run in families, but for the majority of the cases, that is not true.

Most of the cancers are caused by gene mutations accumulated over the years. Genetics does not play any role in it.

There is a way ahead of cancer:

The myths like cancer will always come back to the patients and that there is no cure available for it fuels more fear and uncertainty among the patients and the family members.

The current advancements and technologies used in medical science ensure that the cancer is removed from the root and eliminates any possibility of returning in the future.

Similarly, with the advancement in medical science, most cancers are now curable.

Treatments are getting more effective as more and more extensive studies are being undertaken worldwide to understand the disease better.

For example, testicular and thyroid cancer has a cure rate of over 60%, while breast cancer, bladder cancer, and prostate cancer have a cure rate of 50%.

The important takeaway is, although cancer is a lethal disease, there is a significant breakthrough ahead that promises a normal life for the patient and the family members.

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

To Top