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Oncologists have revealed some of the misconceptions associated with the development of cancerous tumors
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Currently, cancer is the most common disease in the world, so various myths and misconceptions appear among the population, which oncologists considered necessary to dispel, so that people who have been diagnosed with cancer do not treat it as a death sentence.
It is widely believed that nothing can be done about cancer, and that treatment will only delay death a little. But statistics show that if a tumor is detected at an early stage, 1/3 of the most common forms of cancer are easily treated. Despite the fact that the number of cancer patients is increasing every day, the number of people who have successfully overcome this disease is also increasing. In addition, oncologists now have the opportunity to significantly improve the quality of life of their patients.
The second widely held opinion is that the risks of developing a tumor cannot be controlled. This is only partly true, since universal protection against cancer has not yet been invented, but a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet have a fairly effective effect.
People often think that if there have been no cases of cancer in the family before, then there is no need to be afraid of this disease. As is known, cancer is hereditary, but only about 10% of cancer cases are directly inherited by genes. The main cause of the development of malignant tumors is gene mutation, which can be provoked by smoking, chemicals, radiation and other external factors.
There is also a misconception that frequent regular use of antiperspirants, hair dyes provokes the development of cancer. All these cosmetic products are actually not very useful for health, but their use is not associated with the development of oncology.
Many people believe that, despite all the advances in medicine, all cancer patients suffer from severe pain. Indeed, very often the development of a cancerous tumor, especially in the later stages, is accompanied by pain, but modern drugs allow you to stop the strongest attacks of pain in 95% of cases.
There has been a popular belief recently that drinking water from plastic bottles causes cancer because dangerous compounds get into the water. In fact, this is a controversial issue, since there is currently no reliable data on the carcinogenic properties of such water. However, bisphenol-A contained in bottles does pose some danger to human health, but there is currently no evidence that this substance causes cancer.
There is an opinion among those who are ill that radiation and chemotherapy have a much worse effect on the body than the disease itself. Indeed, such treatment methods can cause severe side effects, but the latest scientific developments make it possible to significantly reduce the negative impact of such treatment on the body.
It is also believed that using special creams to protect against sun radiation (especially if you use them every day) can protect you from developing skin cancer. Such creams block ultraviolet radiation, but there is no evidence that they are actually able to prevent the development of skin cancer. In addition, some experts believe that using such creams leads to a deficiency of vitamin D in the body.
Many people believe that smoking one or two cigarettes a day will protect them from cancer. In fact, smoking causes many cancers, and reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke per day will only reduce your risk by 5%.
There is a widespread belief among the population that frequent use of a mobile phone provokes brain cancer. However, according to experts, this opinion has not been scientifically proven. Danish specialists did not find a connection between the development of brain cancer and the use of mobile phones during a survey of 420 thousand people.
However, experts warn that over the next 20 years, the number of cancer patients will increase by 22 million annually, in which case it is assumed that about 13 million people will die from cancer per year. At the same time, the bulk of oncological diseases will appear not only in developed countries, but also in underdeveloped countries. According to WHO statistics, mortality in Asia, Africa, South and Central America is currently 70%.
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