One of the FERO Foundation’s main objectives is to foster an open dialogue about cancer, as the disease represents one of the leading causes of death worldwide and, therefore, impacts our lives to varying degrees.
In this regard, the FERO Foundation, in addition to promoting and explaining discoveries in oncology research and communicating the scientific community’s efforts to eradicate cancer, advocates for caution and regular check-ups, as well as reliable and scientifically proven knowledge about the disease to equip the population with the necessary tools to confront cancer.
The aim of this article is to demystify and debunk urban legends about cancer, to ensure people are well-informed and thus promote prevention, early detection, and appropriate support for individuals with cancer.
The Most Common Myths or Urban Legends About Cancer
Consuming soy increases the risk of breast cancer.
There is a lot of conflicting information about whether or not eating soy is beneficial, and part of this confusion stems from the different results observed in human and animal studies.
It has been shown that, after consuming large amounts of soy, animals experience an increase in estrogen that can lead to the development of certain breast cancers. However, soy estrogen does not appear to have negative effects on humans.
On the contrary, there is growing evidence of the benefits of consuming soy-based foods such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, miso, and soy milk, as they are excellent sources of protein and perfect substitutes for less healthy foods like animal fats and red or processed meats.
Cancer is hereditary.
It is estimated that 5% of all tumors are hereditary. Therefore, while there is a possibility of inheriting the disease, it is very low.
Hereditary cancers result from germline mutations in specific genes that make a person more susceptible to cancer. What is inherited is the susceptibility to developing cancer, not the certainty of developing it.
Among the main cancers with a hereditary component are breast and colorectal cancer.
Cancer is a modern disease.
It is said that cancer is a modern disease linked to our unhealthy lifestyle, but relatively recent paleoscientific discoveries indicate that it is a disease derived from our own biology.
Signs of the disease have been found in African hominid fossils up to 1.7 million years old, and records of the disease exist from ancient Egypt dating back to 4000 BC. Furthermore, the first descriptions of cancer, including its name, date back to classical Greece.
Today, however, there are more advances that facilitate early detection and diagnosis of the disease.
Chemotherapy kills both good and bad cells.
Chemotherapy is responsible for destroying cells that have abnormal or very rapid growth, which are, in most cases, malignant.
However, our bodies contain non-cancerous cells that reproduce very quickly and are also affected by these medications, such as blood-producing cells in the bone marrow, hair follicles (hair roots), or cells in the mouth, digestive tract, and reproductive organs.
The damage caused to rapidly growing healthy cells in the body leads to the side effects of chemotherapy.
If you have questions about the disease, the FERO Foundation recommends that you always consult your doctor.
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