(Image source from: Busting myths on World Cancer Day 2014})

As the world celebrated Cancer Day today, we thought of bringing you a few cancer myths that is prevalent even to this day. Take a look and educate yourself more on cancer.

Myth: Men can’t have breast cancer
Men, like women, are prone to breast cancer, only that their ratio  is lesser than women. What more, nearly 80% men who are at risk aren’t even aware that they can develop breast cancer. If you are a man and have a lump around the chest area, get it checked at the soonest.

Myth: Cancer is almost always fatal
Cancer can cause death, but new treatment methods have made survival possible over the years.

Myth:  Some types of cancer can be contagious
No type of cancer is contagious. However,  two contagious viruses, HPV (Human papillomavirus) and Hepatitis C can trigger cancer of cervical and liver respectively. Both viruses can be transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse or through sharing needles or blood transfusions.

Myth: Only smokers get lung cancer.
Besides smoking, heavy exposure to asbestos, radon, uranium, arsenic, genetic predisposition, and exposure to second hand smoke can cause lung cancer.

Myth: Light or mild cigarettes are less harmful.
Research suggests that these so-called light or mild cigarettes are more harmful  as smokers tend to drag on them longer than regular ones, thus intaking more smoke.

Myth: There is no way you can reduce your cancer risk.
There are a lot of way to cut down your cancer risk. Abstaining from tobacco products, eating healthy, exercising, using protection during sexual intercourse, using sunscreen and avoiding intravenous drugs can prevent cancer.

Myth: Every abnormal growth is cancerous.
Abnormal growths termed ‘benign’ lack the ability to spread to other parts of the body like a cancer.  However, it's the malignant one that causes cancer.

AW: Suchorita Choudhury