Just the mention of cancer is debilitating and terrifying for people. But, with the lack of resources and proper knowledge among people, how much of its truth do you know? Well, you’d be surprised to know this but there are a host of untrue statements about Cancer that we often consider to be facts.

This article will shed some light on those myths and bring out the truth in front of the people.

Cancer is ALWAYS fatal

We can’t bypass the statement by saying that cancer isn’t fatal. But, it also isn’t always fatal. Typically, the treatment and recovery from cancer depend on the condition of the patient, the stage of cancer and where it has been affected. If the cancerous cells haven’t metastasized and it is localised in a body part, chemo and radiation therapy has been found helpful for its treatment. Reports even suggest that 40% of people diagnosed with cancer go into remission.

Eating Sugar Propagates Cancer Growth

There are studies that pre-existing cancerous cells in the body require more nutrition than the healthy cells in the body. However, that doesn’t clarify the fact that eating sugar worsens the risks of cancer. Just stopping sugar from your diet won’t magically get rid of your cancer. That is not medically possible and there are no definitive studies that prove the same.

There is No Definitive Treatment for Cancer

Unlike flu and other common diseases that are easily curable with medications, the same might not hold for cancer. However, that doesn’t mean there is no available treatment for the disease. The extent of cancer treatment has progressed and grown over the years, offering the users access to effective options that helps tend to the symptoms over time.

Cancer is Contagious

One of the most ridiculous and pointless myths about cancer has to be this one. Cancer isn’t a viral or bacterial infection that will spread via contact. Cancer is caused due to cellular DNA changes, due to mutations. These aren’t contagious. Instead, cancerous cells develop within the body after the body’s natural cell death mechanisms fail to work. Cancer can spread rapidly inside the body but it isn’t contagious.

Hair will never Grow after Chemotherapy

You will indeed lose a good chunk, if not all of your hair after your chemotherapy and radiation. This is a common side-effect from the treatment that recovers over time. However, it is a complete myth that your hair won’t grow back after the treatment. Patients from the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital have reported that 99.9% of the hair typically grows back in no time at all.

Cancer is a very terrifying concept to think about. However, the best way to overcome the fear of this disease is by breaking down the myths. Typically, the more you know, the easier it becomes for you to tackle the disease, in case you are faced with the inevitable. If you come across a statement about cancer that seems dicey and sceptical, always fact checks the same from a professional for a better insight.

David Simson

The author, Dr. David K Simson is a trained radiation oncologist specializing in advanced radiation techniques such as intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) / Rapid Arc, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). He is also experienced in interstitial, intracavitary, and intraluminal brachytherapy.