It's all because of stress! 8 cancer myths that medicine has long debunked

Myth 1. Cancer is a problem for the elderly

Most oncological diagnoses in modern Russia really occurs in patients 60 years of age and older. But other statistics cannot be ignored:

• In 2017, breast cancer in 43.7% of cases discovered in women from 20 to 59 years.
• pituitary adenoma more often appears from 30 to 40.
• One third of patients with cervical cancer put diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 44.

In addition, some types of tumors grow slowly and make themselves felt only in old age. For example, from the onset of stomach cancer to the first symptoms, it is often passes 10-15 years old. But this does not mean that all the time, until the neoplasm bothered, the person was healthy.

Myth 2. Tumors are caused by stress.

No one has yet been able to prove that experiences cause cancer. Even in people with severe depression, the risk get sick the same as everyone else. Tumors can occur due to heredity, bad habits, and even infection. For example, up to 10% of all breast cancers connected with mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. And for malignant neoplasms cervix And penis risk factor is the human papillomavirus.

Stress can affect indirectly when there are already some problems in the body. For example, experiences can exacerbate the symptoms of stomach ulcers. And she, in turn, provoke tumor growth. So you still need to monitor mental health, but at the same time do not forget to be examined and keep chronic diseases under control.

Myth 3. Even if the tumor is cured, it will definitely return.

No oncologist can predict whether a relapse will occur or not. This is influenced by the age of the patient, the type of neoplasm, the organ in which it was found, and other factors. However, if the tumor does not reappear in the first 5 years after successful therapy, then, most likely, this will not happen. To prolong the state of remission, patients recommend see a doctor twice a year, take prescribed medications and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Myth 4. The neoplasm may disappear on its own

Such cases known science. The phenomenon is called Peregrine's syndrome, after the saint who was healed of cancer. The mechanism of spontaneous tumor regression is not fully understood, but one thing is clear: this is the exception rather than the rule. The myth is broken into numbers: without therapy, almost 90% of lung cancer patients do not live more than 2-5 years.

No one can guarantee that the disease will go away on its own, but the experiment is not worth the risk. If doctors catch the neoplasm at an early stage, you can only lose precious time waiting for healing. Especially when it comes to the so-called aggressive tumors. For example, soft tissue sarcoma for six months capable increase by 10 centimeters, and pancreatic cancer can become inoperable for a year.

Myth 5. Breast cancer only affects women

Men get sick less often, but it happens. Incidentally, the treatment regimen the same for both sexes. According to doctors, all patients have a fairly similar portrait: average age from 45 to 60 years, overweight, addiction to tobacco and oncological heredity. In addition, some men come to specialists already with an advanced stage of cancer - they are embarrassed to seek help because of the stereotype about the "female" nature of the disease.

In addition, a person may not know for a long time that he is sick. Almost no one talks about the importance of self-diagnosis for men, and a suspicious ball can not get sick for a long time. In order to detect a neoplasm in time, it is necessary to examine and feel the chest. Lumps, swelling, changes in the size and shape of the glands, inverted nipples and strange discharge - any of these symptoms suggests that costs undergo an examination.

Myth 6. To prevent cancer, you need to give birth

In women who have never given birth or breastfed, indeed higher risk get breast cancer. But it is impossible to protect yourself by 100% by any methods, and sometimes in pregnant women too diagnose different types of tumors. Therefore, when planning a child, experts recommend passing all the necessary screenings.

In addition to breast cancer problems for women, the most common fatal become tumors of the lungs and rectum. In order to detect such neoplasms in time, it is necessary to include fluorography and fecal occult blood analysis in a regular minimum of examinations. In addition, every few years you need to check the condition of the cervix.

Myth 7. Dark-skinned people may not be afraid of melanoma

Owners of fair skin and the truth more often suffer from this type of cancer. They have produced less melanin, a pigment that protects against dangerous ultraviolet rays. But dark-skinned and swarthy people are not immune from the disease. Moreover, these patients less often recover. In the initial stages, the tumor is easily confused with a mole or an ordinary age spot, and on dark skin it is more difficult to accidentally notice the first dangerous changes.

The habit of inspecting moles on your own, remembering their location, will help not to start the situation. If any of them began to grow sharply, itch, bleed, secrete an ichor, or just look strange, you need to make an appointment with a dermatologist. The doctor will check suspicious areas with a dermatoscope - a device that greatly enlarges the image of the skin - and, if necessary, prescribe additional examinations.