Does Having Your Phone In Your Bra Cause Breast Cancer

Why Studies Can’t Always Give Answers

Research canât tell us everything we need to know. Many studies have built-in weaknesses that can affect how accurate their findings are. They include:

• The results of studies done in animals or cells may not apply to people.
• People may not have been regularly using cell phones long enough to tell if they’re linked to cancer.
• Other habits besides cell phone use may affect cancer rates, but these habits werenât studied.
• People donât always remember how much or how long theyâve done something, like use a cell phone. This can make a study’s results less accurate.
• Technology in cell phones keeps changing over time, which can affect study results.
• Most studies are done in adults, which means their results may not apply to children.

Can Squeezing Or Being Hit In The Breast Cause Cancer

An injury, such as falling or being hit in the chest, will not cause breast cancer. Squeezing or pinching the breast or nipple will not cause breast cancer either.

It may cause bruising and swelling to the breast, which can be tender or painful to touch.

Sometimes an injury can lead to a benign lump known as fat necrosis. This is scar tissue that can form when the body naturally repairs the damaged fatty breast tissue.

Can Putting Your Phone In Your Bra Really Increase Your Risk Of Breast Cancer

Truth: This claim is likely out there because cell phones do emit low levels of radiation. However, theres really no research to definitively conclude that putting your phone in your bra ups your chances of getting breast cancer. That said, you may be better off putting it in your bag or a pocket if only to avoid awkward moments when you need to take a call in public.

Breast cancer is common, and its crucial people have accurate information about the preventative measures they can take. Unfortunately, breast cancer myths, such as wearing antiperspirant and a bra, are prevalent. These are two things that dont cause breast cancer. Carrying a phone in your bra or having implants dont either, according to current data. Whats more, getting screened for breast cancer with a mammogram is vital and will not increase your risk of developing the disease. Women should begin regular mammograms at the age of 40, as early detection can be key in helping patients achieve the best possible outcomes. Though theres no way to prevent breast cancer completely, exercise, limiting alcohol intake, and not smoking are other fact-based ways to reduce your risk.

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Cell Phones And Brain Tumors

Much of the human research looking at cell phones and cancer risk has concentrated on brain tumors, with mixed results. These include:

• Gliomas
• Acoustic neuromas

There have been a number of studies done at this time.

An Interphone study that took place over several years in several countries concluded that there is a statistically significant correlation between tumor location and side of cell phone use.

A different series of studies done by the International Agency for Research on Cancer also looked at cell phone use and the incidence of brain tumors. They again found an association between the risk of gliomas , acoustic neuromas, and heavy cell phone use.

A review in 2017 broke down evidence from the studies above into nine different categories that can be used to evaluate whether exposure is linked with cancer . These included:

The conclusion was that cell phone RFR should be regarded as a carcinogen that causes glioma.

Where Is The Worst Place To Keep Your Cell Phone

Why? The location of these tumors exactly aligns with the position of the cell phone being worn by these young women in their bras.

One such story described a woman 21 years of age, who, upon receiving her first cell phone at the age of 13, put the device in her bra and wore it there daily until she received her breast cancer diagnosis.

Personally I had never heard of such a thing. When I asked my own 20-year-old daughter about the practice, she replied that while she doesnt do it often, thankfully, she has put her phone inside her sports bra when taking hikes and she did know of other young women doing the same.

I now have discovered that certain companies actually provide pockets for cell phones in their bras. Obviously the message being communicated is that one should place their cell phone there.

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Myth: If You Maintain A Healthy Weight Exercise Regularly Eat Healthy And Limit Alcohol You Dont Have To Worry About Breast Cancer

Its something we hear again and again from newly diagnosed women: I eat healthy, Im at a healthy weight, Im active, and I barely drink. So how did I end up with breast cancer? Yes, there is evidence that all of these behaviors can help lower your risk. However, they cant guarantee youll never get the disease. There are so many examples of people who do everything right and still get breast cancer.

Its certainly worth managing the risk factors you can control, such as what you eat and drink and how physically active you are. But its still important to get regular screenings, perform breast self-exams, and pay attention to any unusual changes in your breasts. And if you have any health-nut friends or relatives who think theres no way theyd ever get breast cancer, help them understand that no one is 100% safe.

Community member Beesie says: I think the heavy focus on lifestyle and environmental factors can be misleading since most breast cancers are caused by factors outside of our control.

Theres a myth that its your fault, adds Community member Illimae. It is not your fault, there is risk with everything in life, dont beat yourself up.

Sleep And Cancer Treatment

A cancer patients sleep may influence their response to cancer treatment, and a deeper understanding of circadian rhythm may create possibilities for more effective cancer therapies.

Because the process of cell growth and division is affected by circadian rhythm, cancer cells may be more vulnerable or resistant to treatments depending on when treatment is given. Cancer drugs often target specific proteins, enzymes, or receptors on the surface of cells, and most of these are affected by circadian timing.

Though still developing, chronotherapy is a component of cancer treatment that works to optimize radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy based on a persons circadian rhythm. Some researchers hope that chronotherapy can enable treatments to kill more cancer cells while reducing damage to healthy tissue.

Entirely new drugs may also be developed that seize upon knowledge of circadian rhythm to fight cancer. For example, drugs have been identified that manipulate the on/off signals for cell growth that are part of circadian timing, and early-phase studies have shown positive results for several types of cancer.

Sleeping well may affect the way that cancer patients recover and respond to treatment. For example, poor sleep has been connected to higher levels of pain, longer hospital stays, and a greater chance of complications in women undergoing surgery for breast cancer.

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Tips For Safer Cell Phone Use

If youâre worried that your cell phone might raise your risk of cancer, there are ways you might be able to reduce how much radiation it exposes you to. These include:

• Limit your time on the phone.
• Use the speaker, a headset, or a hands-free device instead of holding the phone to your head.
• Text instead of call.
• Look for a cell phone with a lower SAR, or specific absorption rate. A lower SAR value may mean the phone gives off less radiation. You can find this information in your phone’s user manual or on the manufacturer’s website. Keep in mind that the SAR is based on the phone operating at its highest power. That might not reflect how you actually use your phone.

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Million Women Cohort Study

How the study was done: This prospective cohort study conducted in the United Kingdom used data obtained from questionnaires that were completed by study participants.

What the study showed: Self-reported cell phone use was not associated with an increased risk of glioma, meningioma, or non-central nervous system tumors. Although the original published findings reported an association with an increased risk of acoustic neuroma , this association disappeared after additional years of follow-up of the cohort .

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Do Cell Phones Cause Tumors

Because cell phones usually are held near the head when a person is on a call, the main concern has been whether the phones might cause or contribute to tumors in this area, including:

• Malignant brain tumors, such as gliomas
• Non-cancerous tumors of the brain, such as meningiomas
• Non-cancerous tumors of the nerve connecting the brain to the ear
• Tumors of the salivary glands

A few studies have also looked at possible links to other types of cancer.

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.

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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.

Myth: The Radiation From Cell Phones Causes Breast Cancer

No.Most research done so far has not shown a link between cellphone use and cancer.

While its important that we all exercise caution around exposure to toxins and known carcinogens in our environment its also important that we keep complicated information/issues from being misinterpreted and spread as frightening rumours.

With the rise of cellphone use, the media and parents have been concerned about the negative effects of cellphone. Perhaps, breast cancer just got grouped into it. However, according to the American Cancer Society, the radiofrequency waves produced by cellphones are non-ionizing, meaning they cannot produce enough energy to directly damage the DNA inside cells. Types of ionizing forms of radiation include: x-rays, gamma rays, and ultraviolet rays.

The well-known Interphone Study, conducted by the World Health Organization, in 13 different countries, was the largest study investigating any potential link between cellphone use and cancerous tumours. The WHO concluded that, although more research is still needed, there is currently no connection between cellphone use and cancer.

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Does Stress Cause Cancer

Theres no conclusive evidence that stress increases your risk of breast cancer.

A number of studies have looked at the links between stress and breast cancer, but there isnt enough evidence to show a clear association.

Stress can be linked to a rise in other lifestyle behaviours, such as being less active or drinking alcohol, which could increase your risk of breast cancer.

Why Youre So Tired After Radiation Therapy

When you are prescribed radiation therapy to treat cancer, your healthcare provider will provide you with a list of possible side effects of treatment. Things like nausea, diarrhea, and hair loss usually catch a persons attention first because they seem to be the worst. While these are side effects that can be difficult to tolerate, it is actually fatigue that affects people the most. Lack of energy and excessive tiredness seem to plague all cancer patients, but those going through radiation therapy do experience it more frequently and often chronically. Learning how to manage and cope with fatigue is essential for your quality of life during radiation therapy treatment.

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Does Wearing A Bra Boost My Breast Cancer Risk

Truth: Bras become a part of many peoples wardrobes when they hit puberty. Could they inadvertently be increasing their risk of breast cancer? The experts say no. In fact, a 2014 study concluded there was no increased risk of breast cancer in bra-wearing, post-menopausal women.

Theres also a claim that wearing a bra with an underwire can up your chances of getting breast cancer by impeding the lymph flow, resulting in toxic substances accumulating in the area. No evidence supports this theory.

Do You Need Help With Your Health

We have the tools to discover why you may be having trouble with a weakened immune system. Its not difficult as long as youre ready to make some dietary and lifestyle changes. If that sounds daunting, dont worry. We will hold your hand through the changes and make each step of change an easy one.

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Myth: Annual Mammograms Guarantee That Breast Cancer Will Be Found 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.

How Is Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure Measured In Studies Of Groups Of People

Epidemiologic studies use information from several sources, including questionnaires and data from cell phone service providers, to estimate radiofrequency radiation exposure in groups of people. Direct measurements are not yet possible outside of a laboratory setting. Estimates from studies reported to date take into account the following:

• How regularly study participants use cell phones
• The age and the year when study participants first used a cell phone and the age and the year of last use
• The average number of cell phone calls per day, week, or month
• The average length of a typical cell phone call
• The total hours of lifetime use, calculated from the length of typical call times, the frequency of use, and the duration of use

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Specialist Opinion On Cellphones And Breast Cancer

While there are many environmental factors to consider, there are number of clinicians observing clinical evidence that has led them to believe that storing a cell phone in the bra, can in some instances lead to breast cancer.

Dr John West MD oncologist and surgical director of Breastlink and co-founder of BeAware foundation

We have clinical evidence that particularly young women who use their cell phone for prolonged periods of time develop a very unusual form of cancer. Whats so impressive about this is that these cancers occur right underneath the skin where the cellphone was in contact with the breast. We see multiple cancers and the pattern and distribution of the cancer is extremely unusual and especially at such a very young age. The cancers are roughly the same distribution as the cellphone and appear in the same area where the cellphone was placed in direct contact with the breast.

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What Have Expert Organizations Said About The Cancer Risk From Cell Phone Use

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer , a component of the World Health Organization, appointed an expert working group to review all available evidence on the use of cell phones. The working group classified cell phone use as possibly carcinogenic to humans, based on limited evidence from human studies, limited evidence from studies of radiofrequency radiation and cancer in rodents, and inconsistent evidence from mechanistic studies .

The working group indicated that, although the human studies were susceptible to bias, the findings could not be dismissed as reflecting bias alone, and that a causal interpretation could not be excluded. The working group noted that any interpretation of the evidence should also consider that the observed associations could reflect chance, bias, or confounding variables rather than an underlying causal effect. In addition, the working group stated that the investigation of brain cancer risk associated with cell phone use poses complex research challenges.

The American Cancer Societys cell phones page states It is not clear at this time that RF waves from cell phones cause dangerous health effects in people, but studies now being done should give a clearer picture of the possible health effects in the future.

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