Can You Get Breast Cancer From Getting Hit

Common Causes Of Traumatic Breast Injury

The most common cause of a traumatic breast injury is a car accident. The seatbelt can cause trauma, or the airbag can deploy. Sometimes, the force of the collision slams your chest into the steering wheel. In all of these cases, it is possible to sustain an injury to your breast. Other causes of traumatic breast injury include assault, falling, or as the result of a sports injury.

Can Cancer Surgery Or A Tumor Biopsy Cause Cancer To Spread In The Body

The chance that surgery will cause cancer to spread to other parts of the body is extremely low. Following standard procedures, surgeons use special methods and take many steps to prevent cancer cells from spreading during biopsies or surgery to remove tumors. For example, if they must remove tissue from more than one area of the body, they use different surgical tools for each area. For information about how cancer spreads in the body, see our page on Metastatic Cancer.

If Cancer Comes Back In The Same Breast

If the breast cancer comes back in the same breast it’s called local recurrence. The cancer might be picked up at one of your follow up scans or appointments. Or you might notice your breast or scar looks or feels different.

Symptoms of local recurrence can include:

• a small pink or red lump called a nodule on the breast or scar
• change in shape or size of the breast
• a swelling in your arm or hand on the side of your breast surgery
• changes in the shape or position of the nipple
• redness or a rash on the skin on or around the breast area
• a lump or thickening in the breast

Let your doctor know as soon as you can if you notice any changes. You usually have tests to check if the cancer has come back.

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Do Mobile Phones Cause Breast Cancer

Theres no evidence that radiation from mobile phones has any effect on your risk of developing breast cancer.

Some people worry that radio waves produced and received by mobile phones may be a health risk, especially if they keep their phone in their breast pocket.

However, theres currently no evidence that radio waves from mobile phones cause breast cancer or increase the risk of developing it.

Myth: Breast Cancer Only Happens To Middle

It is true that being female and growing older are the main risk factors for developing breast cancer. In 2017, about 4% of invasive breast cancers were diagnosed in women under age 40, while about 23% were diagnosed in women in their 50s and 27% in women ages 60 to 69.6 While 4% might sound small, it isnt zero: This percentage means that one in every 25 invasive breast cancer cases occurred in women under 40.

Women of all ages need to pay attention to their breasts, perform self-exams, and report any unusual changes to their doctors and insist that breast cancer be ruled out if theres a concerning symptom. Even some doctors buy into the myth that women in their 20s and 30s dont get breast cancer. Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, especially cancers diagnosed in relatives before age 40, may wish to start screenings sooner.

Breast cancer is even rarer in men, but it does happen. People often think that men cant get breast cancer because they dont have breasts but they do have breast tissue. Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancers diagnosed in the U.S. In 2019, about 2,670 men are expected to be diagnosed with the disease.7 Even though male breast cancer is rare, it tends to be diagnosed at a more advanced stage because breast changes and lumps typically dont lead men and their doctors to think breast cancer. Changes in male breasts need to be checked out, too.

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Myth: Consuming Too Much Sugar Causes Breast Cancerfact: There Is No Evidence That Sugar In The Diet Causes Breast Cancer

Not just with breast cancer but with all types of cancer, theres a common myth that sugar can feed the cancer and speed up its growth. All cells, whether cancerous or healthy, use the sugar in the blood as fuel. While its true that cancer cells consume sugar more quickly than normal cells, there isnt any evidence that excessive sugar consumption causes cancer.

There was a study in mice that suggested excess sugar consumption might raise the risk of breast cancer,3 but more research is needed to establish any link in animals as well as in people.

That said, we do know that eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain, and being overweight is an established risk factor for breast cancer. In addition, some studies have linked diabetes with a higher risk of breast cancer especially more aggressive, later-stage cancers. Researchers arent sure if the link is due to that fact that people with diabetes tend to be overweight, or that they have higher blood sugar levels.

For health reasons, its always a good idea to cut down on desserts, candy, cakes, sweetened beverages, and processed foods that contain sugar. Reading labels is important, as many foods can have hidden added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup.

What Is Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the breast. It starts when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control.

Breast cancer cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on an x-ray or felt as a lump. Breast cancer is most common in women, but men can get breast cancer, too.

Breast cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body and grow there, too. When cancer cells do this, its called metastasis.

Cancer is always named based on the place where it starts. So even if breast cancer spreads to the bones , its still called breast cancer. Its not called bone cancer unless it starts from cells in the bone.

The breast

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Myth: Breast Cancer Always Causes A Lump You Can Feelfact: Breast Cancer Might Not Cause A Lump Especially When It First Develops

People are sometimes under the impression that breast cancer always causes a lump that can be felt during a self-exam. They might use this as a reason to skip mammograms, thinking theyll be able to feel any change that might indicate a problem. However, breast cancer doesnt always cause a lump. By the time it does, the cancer might have already moved beyond the breast into the lymph nodes. Although performing breast self-exams is certainly a good idea, it isnt a substitute for regular screening with mammography.

There are some other myths about what types of breast lumps are less worrisome, such as: If the lump is painful, it isnt breast cancer, and If you can feel a lump that is smooth, and/or that moves around freely under the skin, its not breast cancer. Any lump or unusual mass that can be felt through the skin needs to be checked out by a healthcare professional. Although most lumps are benign , there is always the possibility of breast cancer.

As Community member Simone RC says, that you only need to worry if your lump is hard, not movable, and not smooth. Every single doctor who felt my always-lumpy breasts said they never would have thought what I felt was suspicious. I noticed the new lump on one of my best old lumps. Smooth, movable, soft, like a grape cut in half lengthwise. Thank goodness my gynecologist took me seriously despite having my annual 3D mammogram completely clear a few months before.

Your Breast Can Suffer Injury Just Like Any Body Part Should You Worry That It Could Lead To Breast Cancer Read On

by Patient Expert

“My little brother punched me in the boob and it hurts a lot. Should I worry?”

“I was in a fender-bender, and the seatbelt really cut into my chest. Now I have a bruise. Should I see a doctor?”

“My basketball team was playing a really rough game, and I got elbowed in the breast going up for a rebound. That was a month ago now I feel a lump. What is it?”

When you scrape your shin, bruise your thigh, or accidentally cut your finger, you don’t really think too much about it, do you? Sure, it hurts but given time, it’ll heal. It’s only a shin, a thigh, a finger, etc.

But somehow, an injury to your breast feels different. Not physically a bruise is a bruise, and a breast bruise hurts just like one on your kneecap. But mentally emotionally breast injuries can be worrisome.

If you’re a younger woman, you might worry about the effect of potential scarring on your love life, or your ability to nurse a baby. If older, you’ve automatically got breast cancer on your mind: can an injury lead to cancer?

Let’s examine what happens when your breast suffers blunt trauma the official medical term for a forceful injury to the breast.

Trauma can occur from a blow. Younger women sometimes contact us here to ask if their pesky little brother punching them is dangerous.

Bruising and Hematoma

Tissue Damage

Does Injury Lead to Breast Cancer?

Breast Injury Can Be Dangerous for Another Reason, Though

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Will Eating Sugar Make My Cancer Worse

No. Although research has shown that cancer cells consume more sugar than normal cells, no studies have shown that eating sugar will make your cancer worse or that, if you stop eating sugar, your cancer will shrink or disappear. However, a high-sugar diet may contribute to excess weight gain, and obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing several types of cancer. For more information, see the NCI fact sheet on Obesity and Cancer.

How To Treat A Breast Trauma

Most of the time, breast injury and inflammation can be treated at home.

If you need help with managing pain, see your doctor. They can advise you on the best methods of pain control for you. You can usually ease pain from a traumatic injury with a pain reliever such as ibuprofen . However, if your pain is from surgery or if you have certain medical conditions, you should not take pain relievers. Talk to your doctor about other options for pain management instead.

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When To Start Screening

We recommend mammogram screening to start no earlier than age 40 and no later than age 50 for women of average risk for breast cancer, and continue through to at least age 74, says Dr. Andrejeva-Wright. Screening mammography should occur at least once every two years. For women whose screening mammograms show they have dense breasts, an extra testa breast ultrasoundis recommended.

Dr. Andrejeva-Wright says it is important to talk with a health care provider about when you should start getting mammograms, based on your unique health profile, and to make an appointment to see your doctor if you notice any unusual breast changes.

Any time a woman feels a breast mass, which does not go away, while doing a breast self-exam at any age, she should get it checked out, says Dr. Silber.

More than half of the time, women detect breast cancers themselves when they notice an unusual breast change. Whenever there is a new mass or lump, tell your doctorit should be evaluated by a clinical physical examination followed by breast imaging, says Dr. Andrejeva-Wright. Other signs to be aware of include asymmetry of the breasts and nipple changes such as discharge or peeling skin around the nipple.

Says Dr. Andrejeva-Wright, These symptoms dont mean you have breast cancer, but its a reason to seek an opinion from a medical provider.

Common Cancer Myths And Misconceptions

Certain popular ideas about how cancer starts and spreadsthough scientifically wrongcan seem to make sense, especially when those ideas are rooted in old theories. But wrong ideas about cancer can lead to needless worry and even hinder good prevention and treatment decisions. This page provides the latest science-based information about some common cancer myths and misconceptions.

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Myth: Annual Mammograms Guarantee That Breast Cancer Will Be Found Earlyfact: Although Mammography Is The Best Early

Its certainly normal to breathe a sigh of relief any time your mammogram comes back clean. Most women think, Im good for another year and put breast cancer out of their minds.

Although mammography is a very good screening tool, it isnt foolproof. It can return a false-negative result, meaning that the images look normal even though cancer is present. Its estimated that mammograms miss about 20% of breast cancers at the time of screening.4 False-negative results tend to be more common in women who have dense breast tissue, which is made up of more glandular and connective tissue than fatty tissue. Younger women are more likely to have dense breasts.

The reality of false negatives explains why a woman can have a normal mammogram result and then get diagnosed with breast cancer a few months later. Some women can have a series of normal mammograms and still be diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Also, there are cases where breast cancer develops and grows quickly in the year or so after a true negative mammogram.

Mammography does catch most breast cancers, though, and thats why regular screenings are essential. But its also important to pay attention to any changes in your breasts, perform monthly breast self-exams, and have a physical examination of your breasts by a health professional every year.

Do Artificial Sweeteners Cause Cancer

No. Researchers have conducted studies on the safety of the artificial sweeteners saccharin cyclamate aspartame acesulfame potassium sucralose and neotame and found no evidence that they cause cancer in humans. All of these artificial sweeteners except for cyclamate have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for sale in the United States. For more information, see the NCI fact sheet on Artificial Sweeteners and Cancer.

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Can Nipple Piercing Cause Breast Cancer

Nipple piercings have become a popular trend. But theres currently no evidence that having pierced nipples increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer.

However, the area pierced is at risk of infection, at the time of the piercing and as long as you wear the jewellery, possibly even longer.

Breast Pain: 10 Reasons Your Breasts May Hurt

Most women experience some form of breast pain at one time or another. Breast pain is typically easy to treat, but on rarer occasions it can be a sign of something more serious.

Medical director of the Suburban Hospital Breast Center Pamela Wright, M.D., discusses the most common causes of breast pain , their treatments and when to see a doctor:

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Myth: All Breast Cancer Is Treated Pretty Much The Same Wayfact: Treatment Plans Vary Widely Depending On The Characteristics Of The Cancer And Patient Preferences

I had no idea until I was diagnosed how many types of breast cancer there are, nor did I know anything about the different types of treatment, notes Community member Oceanbum.

Hers is a common experience: If youve never had breast cancer or havent been close to someone who does, theres no real reason to learn the ins and outs of treatment. Many people have some vague idea that breast cancer requires some combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and maybe chemotherapy, but they don’t know much beyond that. They might not realize that they can speak to five different people with breast cancer and discover that they have five different treatment plans.

This is because each persons treatment plan really is tailored to his or her needs. So many different factors can come into play when choosing treatments, such as:

• the size, stage, and grade of the cancer, as well as the location
• whether the cancer is known or believed to be linked to an inherited genetic mutation, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2
• whether the cancer tests positive for estrogen or progesterone receptors
• whether the cancer tests positive for extra copies of the HER2 gene
• results of tests that can predict the likelihood of recurrence, such as Oncotype DX or MammaPrint
• patient preferences about avoiding specific side effects or the timing of treatment sessions

To learn more about why treatment plans vary so widely, check out our pages about Planning Your Treatment.

Facts You Should Know About Breast Lumps In Women

• Breast lumps can be caused by infections, injuries, non-cancerous growths, and cancer.
• Breast cancer usually causes no pain in the breast. The symptoms of breast cancer include painless breast lumps, nipple discharge, and inflammation of the skin of the breast.
• The chances that a particular breast lump could be cancerous depends on many factors, including past medical history, physical examination, as well as genetic and other risk factors.
• The only way to be certain that a lump is not cancerous is to have a tissue sampling . There are several ways to do the biopsy. The treatment of a breast lump depends on its cause.

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