Breast cancer is one of the most written-about cancers in the world — and also one of the most surrounded by myths. Some myths cause false reassurance ('it only happens to older women'). Some cause unnecessary fear ('wearing a bra causes it'). All of them, in different ways, stop women from taking the actions that actually save lives: self-checking regularly, attending screening, and seeing a GP promptly when something changes. Here are ten myths — and what the NHS and WHO actually say.
Myth 1: Breast cancer only affects older women
Fact: While the risk increases with age — and most diagnoses are in women over 50 — breast cancer can occur at any age. Around 7,500 women under 45 are diagnosed in the UK every year. Breast awareness and GP visits for new symptoms matter at any age, not just from 50. The NHS Breast Screening Programme begins at 50 because that is when mammography is most cost-effective as a population-wide tool — not because younger women cannot get breast cancer.
Myth 2: A lump is the only sign of breast cancer
Fact: A lump is the most common symptom, but it is not the only one. The NHS lists several other signs: a change in the size, shape or feel of the breast; skin changes such as puckering, dimpling or redness; a change in the position or shape of the nipple; nipple discharge; and swelling in the armpit or around the collarbone. Some breast cancers — including inflammatory breast cancer — produce no lump at all. Checking for lumps only misses other potentially significant changes.
Myth 3: If there is no family history, you are not at risk
Fact: Around 80 per cent of women who develop breast cancer have no family history of the disease. While having a first-degree relative with breast cancer does increase risk, the majority of breast cancers are not hereditary. BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations account for around 5 per cent of all cases. Most women who develop breast cancer have no identified genetic predisposition.
Myth 4: Wearing an underwired bra causes breast cancer
Fact: There is no scientific evidence that wearing an underwired bra — or any bra — increases breast cancer risk. This myth has been thoroughly examined in large epidemiological studies and repeatedly found to have no basis. It appears to originate from a 1995 book that made the claim without peer-reviewed evidence. The NHS and WHO do not list bra-wearing as a risk factor for breast cancer.
Myth 5: Antiperspirant deodorant causes breast cancer
Fact: Large-scale studies have found no convincing evidence that antiperspirants or deodorants — including those containing aluminium salts — cause breast cancer. Cancer Research UK and the NHS have both reviewed the evidence and concluded there is no proven link. This myth likely persists because breast cancer often develops in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, which is anatomically close to the armpit.
Myth 6: Men do not get breast cancer
Fact: Men have breast tissue and can develop breast cancer. Around 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year. Male breast cancer is rare but real — and outcomes are often worse than for women, partly because men do not expect the diagnosis and delay seeking help. Any man who notices a lump, skin change or nipple discharge should see a GP.
Myth 7: Small-breasted women have a lower risk
Fact: Breast size has no bearing on breast cancer risk. Risk is associated with breast tissue density — which cannot be assessed visually — not with breast volume. Women with dense breast tissue have a higher risk of breast cancer regardless of overall breast size, and dense tissue also makes mammography harder to interpret accurately.
Myth 8: A benign result means you will never get breast cancer
Fact: A benign breast clinic result means the specific concern you were checked for is not cancer. It does not mean you cannot develop breast cancer in the future, in the same breast or the other breast. Continued regular breast awareness and attendance at NHS screening invitations remains important after a benign diagnosis.
Myth 9: Breast cancer is always a death sentence
Fact: The ten-year survival rate for breast cancer in England is now around 76 per cent overall — and for cancers caught at Stage 1, the five-year survival rate exceeds 98 per cent. Breast cancer is the most commonly treated cancer in the UK, and treatment has advanced enormously over the past 30 years. Early detection remains the single biggest factor in survival.
Myth 10: You do not need to check if you feel fine
Fact: Early breast cancer rarely causes pain. The majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer felt perfectly well before their diagnosis. Breast awareness — knowing what is normal for your breasts so you notice any change — is the foundation of early detection. The NHS recommends all women check regularly, regardless of age or how they feel.
