How true is it that a person diagnosed with cancer cannot work, exercise or consume sugar? Debunk these and other myths about this disease.
Myth 1. Having cancer is the same as dying
No. With the advent of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, people with any type of cancer today have a better chance of overcoming it. In addition, technological advances allow for early detection in order to act earlier and earlier.
Myth 2. Most cancers are hereditary
No. 95% of cases are related to the patient's lifestyle. Only 5% are hereditary and related to the individual history of each patient and their family.
Myth 3. Anyone can develop the disease
Yes. Children, young people and adults are prone to suffer from this disease. It can develop in any organ of the body – except the cornea – although there are some that are more susceptible: the breast in women, the prostate in men and the lung in smokers.
Myth 4. Risk factors are the same for all cases
No. Each type of cancer has its main risk factor. However, there are habits or situations that increase the possibility of suffering from the disease. These are:
- Smoking.
- Obesity.
- Bacterial infections such as Helicobacter pylori, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and viral hepatitis.
- Exposure to carcinogenic substances such as asbestos, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, arsenic, formaldehyde, among others.
- Unsafe sex (possibility of acquiring the human papillomavirus).
- Constant contact with gases, vapors and pollution.
Myth 5. Eating red meat increases the risk
Only if eaten every day in large quantities. According to the World Health Organization, eating more than 300 grams of red meat or 50 grams of sausages or processed meats per day increases the risk of developing colon cancer.
In the case of obese patients, it is not so easy to determine the causes of colon cancer because, in addition to excessive meat consumption, the disease can also occur due to metabolic disorders caused by poor eating habits.
Myth 6. It can cause a quick death
It depends on the type of cancer. There are some that take many years to develop: the patient does not present symptoms, and when diagnosed in most cases the disease is very advanced. There are other types, such as Burkitt's lymphoma, that can grow and spread very quickly in just a few weeks. In general, patients with metastatic cancer can live more than a year.
Myth 7. Treatment causes weakness and dehydration
Yes. One of the side effects of chemotherapy is fatigue, meaning that you start an activity and then have to stop it because you don't have enough energy to continue. Treatment can also cause dehydration, as some of the drugs, such as fluoropyrimidine or capecitabine, cause diarrhea or vomiting, although the latter is becoming less common thanks to new anti-vomiting drugs that greatly improve the feeling of nausea in patients.
Myth 8. Patients must suspend all their activities
No. Every situation is different; it varies according to the person and their treatment. For example, patients with acute leukemia, due to the toxicity of the disease, receive stronger chemotherapy and hospital stays are usually longer and more frequent because they are more prone to acquiring an infection. For this reason, they must suspend their daily activities.
Patients who receive standard chemotherapy can continue with their lives with drugs such as fluoropyrimidine. They only have to stop their activities on the day they receive chemotherapy.
Myth 9. Exercise and cancer are not compatible
No, In most cases, the important thing is to follow the recommendations of the treating physician and not to exceed the time or load. People who have enough energy to perform some physical activity are recommended to exercise because the release of endorphins is beneficial during the chemotherapy process.
Myth 10. Sugar consumption is prohibited
No. One of the main myths surrounding the disease is that cancer cells feed on sugar and that if we stop consuming it, they will not multiply any more. However, not only cancer cells feed on sugar, but also the good ones, and if the former do not find sugar, they will feed on any other type of substance present in the body.
Myth 11. It is normal for nails to turn black during treatment.
Yes. Nails are an extension of dead skin cells, so the discoloration that occurs in them due to chemotherapy is normal. Some very strong treatments can destroy the structure of the nails.
70% of cancer patients live with the disease for about five years.
Chemotherapy can change appetite: in some cases it decreases it and in others it increases it. Therefore, it is not true that people always lose weight during cancer therapy; on the contrary, more patients gain weight.
The content is part of the magazine 5 Sentidos and was created by: Mauricio Lema; oncologist.