A diagnosis of breast cancer brings on confusion, uncertainty, fear, and unsolicited advice. It can make a woman feel she is losing control of her life. One way a woman can regain control is by being able to make a decision about her treatment. To do this, she needs accurate information about treatment options and possible outcomes – not the old wives’ tales passed on by well-meaning but misguided acquaintances.

Unfortunately, myths and misconceptions about breast cancer are common and can cause a woman unnecessary fear and confusion. Here are the most common myths about breast cancer and the facts about the disease.

Although this is not a comprehensive guide to treatment options, it provides essential information to help you make critical decisions about the treatments your doctor prescribes.

1. Myth: All breast cancers occur in the same structures of the breast.
Fact: The majority of the breast cancers occur in the ducts of the breast, which connect the milk producing glands to the nipple.

2. Myth: A woman has little or no risk of breast cancer if she has no family history of breast cancer.
Fact: More than 75% of women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. Simply being female puts all women at risk.

3. Myth: Cancer cannot be found unless a lump is felt.
Fact: Mammography can detect early cancers before a lump can be felt.

4. Myth: Estrogens cause breast cancer.
Fact: Recent data have shown that a combination of estrogen and progesterone (HRT) taken by women after menopause may increase the risk of breast cancer if associated with prolonged usage.

5. Myth: If the mammography report comes back as “negative,” there is nothing else to worry about.
Fact: Mammograms do not show 10-15 percent of all breast cancers. Any suspicious mass must be further investigated.

6. Myth: Chemotherapy is given only to women with advanced breast cancer.
Fact: Chemotherapy is now recommended for most women with breast cancer. For women in early stages of the disease, however, it usually improves survival and reduces the possibility of recurrence. Chemotherapy is also given to some women with breast cancer to reduce the size of tumor before surgery.

7. Myth: A woman who has had breast cancer must have bone scans, CT scans, X-rays, and blood tests at least once a year for the rest of her life.
Fact: Although these additional tests may be needed in certain cases, a woman who has remained cancer-free for 5 years usually requires only an annual physical exam and mammogram, and perhaps an annual chest X-ray, if she received radiation therapy as part of her cancer treatment.

Any sickness causes alarm and downs the sprit. Going to professionals knowledgeable about your condition will help you answer those questions you have in mind or somehow clear out your doubts about it.

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