Country Club Living - Palm Beach North - October 2024

4 | OCTOBER 2024 | COUNTRY CLUB LIVING - PALM BEACH NORTH – By Sue MacDonald – O ctober is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which makes it an ideal opportunity to refute widespread myths about the most common cancer and the second- leading cause of cancer death among women. John A.P. Rimmer, MD, FACS, FRCS, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Medical Director of Comprehensive Breast Care at Jupiter Medical Center, provides potentially life-saving truths about breast cancer: Women without a family history can get breast cancer. “Family history is a significant risk factor for breast cancer, but some women assume they are not at risk without family history,” notes Dr. Rimmer. “60%-80% of women with breast cancer have no family history.” For those with a family history, Jupiter Medical Center offers comprehensive genetics testing and counseling services through The Anderson Family Cancer Institute. 1. Women under 40 can get breast cancer. Although breast cancer typically strikes older women, it’s now the most common cancer among women ages 15–39. This age group accounts for 5.6% of invasive breast cancers, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. About half of women diagnosed under 30 have breast cancer-linked mutations (BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53) and are more likely than older women to develop certain aggressive tumors. 2. Men can get breast cancer. About 2,800 U.S. men develop breast cancer every year, with about 530 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). According to Dr. Rimmer, men usually present with advanced breast cancers because of low awareness. Men can seek guidance from their primary care physician about signs to look for and how to perform a self-exam. 3. Trust medically-documented mammograms, ultrasounds, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans — not thermograms. Thermography, which maps body heat patterns to screen for cancer, isn’t an effective standalone test according to the FDA. Instead, “mammography is still the most effective primary screening method for detecting breast cancer.” Dr. Rimmer adds, “Thermograms have no value as a diagnostic. Women who receive cancer diagnoses via thermogram see us for follow-up mammograms, and the diagnostics show nothing.” 4. Sugar fuels cell metabolism and does not cause breast cancer. “There’s an urban legend that sugar causes breast cancer. Sugar is a basic fuel that every cell in the body needs, not a cause or contributor to breast cancer,” Dr. Rimmer explains. Still, dietary sugar should be consumed in moderation. 5. Underwire and tight-fitting bras are safe to wear. “Bras don’t cause cancer, and underwire bras in particular don’t cause breast cancer,” Dr. Rimmer says, pointing out that no medical study has ever linked cancer to wearing bras. Women should choose comfortable bras for their body type. 6. Antiperspirants and deodorants are safe to use. No medical study has linked either product with breast cancer, according to ACS. Dr. Rimmer reminds women that their best tools to avoid cancer are education, regular breast self-exams, and regular screenings to detect suspicious cells/tumors in their earliest, most treatable stages. For more information, contact the Margaret W. Niedland Breast Center at Jupiter Medical Center at 561-575-2000 or visit jupitermed.com/breast. BREAST CANCER: Myths Debunked and Facts Revealed BUSINESS PROFILE EXPERT CONT IBUTOR You deserve to meet her. Schedule your mammogram. - 3D Contrast Enhanced Mammography - Same-Day Mammography Results - Fellowship-Trained Breast Radiologists Learn More at jupitermed.com/breast a nd call 561-263-4414 to Schedule Your Mammogram Today If you think breast cancer screening – including mammography and other advanced diagnostic techniques – is something to save for the future, think again. Jupiter Medical Center encourages women of all ages and stages to take control of their breast health at our state-of-the-art Margaret W. Niedland Breast Center.