When it comes to breast cancer, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Some fallacies have become so pervasive that we no longer even question them.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re busting the myths surrounding this disease, which affects nearly 380,000 newly diagnosed American women each year.
Test your knowledge with our quiz and see which breast cancer beliefs are true — and which are bogus.
Quiz
1. True or false: You can develop breast cancer even if no one in your family has ever had it.
A. Only with a gene mutation
B. False
C. Only after age 65
D. True
2. Which of these is the biggest overall risk factor for breast cancer?
A. Getting older
B. Having children after age 30
C. Having a large cup size
D. Having dense breasts
3. For women at average risk, which test is the standard screening test used to help detect breast cancer early?
A. Bone-density scan
B. Blood test
C. Mammogram
D. Chest X-ray
4. Which statement about breast cancer symptoms is true?
A. A breast lump is always cancer
B. Only nipple changes matter
C. Breast cancer can cause skin dimpling
D. Breast cancer always causes pain
5. About what percentage of breast cancers are linked to inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and other inherited risk?
A. Nearly 100%
B. About 5% to 10%
C. About 50% to 60%
D. About 25% to 30%
6. True or false: Men can develop breast cancer.
A. Only if there is a family history
B. False
C. Only before age 40
D. True
7. Which lifestyle choice can help lower breast cancer risk?
A. Taking vitamins instead of exercising
B. Skipping all dairy products
C. Avoiding mammograms
D. Regular physical activity
8. Which statement about mammograms is most accurate?
A. They can detect some cancers before symptoms appear
B. They find every breast cancer
C. They are recommended only after symptoms develop
D. They replace evaluation of a new breast lump
9. Which of these is a known risk factor for breast cancer?
A. Wearing an underwire bra
B. Using deodorant
C. Having small breasts
D. Having dense breasts
10. According to the American Cancer Society, what is one reason early detection matters?
A. Screening prevents every breast cancer
B. Cancer found early is more likely to be successfully treated
C. Early-stage breast cancer never requires treatment
D. Early detection guarantees a cure
How did you do? See the correct answers below.
Answers
1. D True – Breast cancer can occur without a family history. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a known history of the disease.
2. A Getting older — Breast cancer risk increases with age, making advancing age one of the most important risk factors.
3. Mammogram — Mammography is the standard breast cancer screening test for women at average risk and can detect cancer before symptoms appear.
4. Breast cancer can cause skin dimpling — Skin dimpling, sometimes described as an orange-peel appearance, can be a sign of breast cancer.
5. About 5-10% — The National Cancer Institute estimates that inherited risk, including the BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers, accounts for approximately 5-10% of breast cancer cases.
6. True — Men can develop breast cancer, although it is rare. Men account for about 1% of cases.
7. Physical activity — Regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer and is one factor people can modify.
8: They can detect some cancers before symptoms appear — Mammograms can detect breast cancer early, including cancers that have not yet caused noticeable symptoms.
9. Having dense breasts — Dense breast tissue is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and can also make some cancers harder to see on a mammogram.
10. Cancer found early is more likely to be successfully treated — When breast cancer is found while it is small and has not spread, treatment is more likely to be successful.
HOW DID YOU SCORE?
- 9–10 correct: Breast cancer fact master!
- 7–8 correct: You know your stuff — with a few myths left to bust.
- 5–6 correct: Not bad! Consider this your reminder to brush up on breast health.
- 0–4 correct: No judgment — you just learned something important today!
This quiz is for educational purposes and does not replace personalized medical advice or recommended screening from a health care professional. The key facts are supported by the National Cancer Institute, CDC and American Cancer Society, including breast cancer risk factors, inherited risk, symptoms, screening and the importance of early detection. (Cancer.gov)