Underwire Bras and Breast Cancer

I heard something about underwire bras causing breast cancer. Well, unless they're using radioactive metal, I think it's a bunch of hogwash and decided to do some research.

Evidentally someone wrote a book and posed their own fantasy theory (to make their book sell) about this issue and now it has become a minor urban myth.

Please make sure your medical facts come from the medical experts, not gossip passed from one person to the next and definitely not from a non-expert trying to sell a book. Beware of conspiracy theories. There is no evil plot.

Never fear. Underwires do NOT cause cancer. Every single link shown below agrees with my hogwash opinion.

http://cancer.about.com/od/breastcancer/f/underwirebras.htm

http://askville.amazon.com/wearing-underwire-bras-breast-cancer/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=603714

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlusRiskAndPrevention/story?id=3636127

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_2_1x_Forwarded_Emails.asp

For a listing of more breast cancer myths, visit http://breastcancerisabitch.blogspot.com/2009/01/breast-cancer-myths.html#links
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History of the Pink Ribbon

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This is a short history on the use of ribbons as a symbol of rememberance and awareness.

It starts with 19th century American women who wore a yellow ribbon in their hair as a symbol of their devotion to husbands and sweethearts who were away, serving in the US Calvalry. The Calvalry's official color was yellow. The John Wayne movie "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" is a direct reference to this custom.

There is also the marching song "Round Her Neck, She Wore A Yeller Ribbon," sung in the US military that was copyrighted in 1917. (and no, that's not a typo)

In 1973 "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree," sung by Tony Orlando & Dawn, was a number one hit in the USA, UK and Australia. The message of this yellow ribbon was "You Are Welcome Home."

Six years later, during the Gulf War, Penney Laingen tied yellow ribbons on the trees in her front yard, showing the world her longing for the release and return of her husband who was a hostage held in Iran. Penney's display got into the news and yellow ribbons appeared on trees all over the world, in support of loved ones away at war.

At the 1990 Tony Awards, actor Jeremy Irons wore a red ribbon. This is considered to be the first time an actor wore a red ribbon publicly to bring awareness to the serious problem of AIDS. Soon after, other actors and public figures followed suit.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in the 1991 Race for Breast Cancer in New York City.

Charlotte Hayley, who had breast cancer, handed out peach colored ribbons with cards attached that stated that the National Cancer Institute only spends 5% of their $1.8 billion on prevention. She felt prevention and early detection deserved more attention.

Alexandra Penney (editor-in-chief at Self magazine) and Evelyn Lauder (senior VP at Estee Lauder) approached Hayley about working together but Hayley declined. Penney and Lauder teamed up to create pink ribbons as the international symbol of breast cancer awareness.

Legally, in most places, the symbol of the pink ribbon is considered public domain. In Canada, the pink ribbon is the official trademark of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Arabic: شريط وردي
Spanish: Lazo Rosado
French: Ruban Rose
Italian: Nastro Rosa
Galician: Lazo Vermello
German: Rosa Schleife

Dutch: Roze Lint
Danish: Lyserøde Sløjfe
Croatian: Ružičasta vrpca
Czech: Růžová stužka
Finnish: Roosa Nauha
Hungarian: Rózsaszín szalag
Norwegian: Rosa Sløyfe
Latvian: Rozā lente
Lithuanian: Rožinis kaspinas
Persian: روبان صورتی
Polish: Różowa Wstążka
Romanian: Panglica Roz
Ukrainian: Рожева стрічка
Russian: Pозовая лента
Slovak: Ružová stužka
Swedish: Rosa Bandet
Catalan: Llaç Rosa
Turkish: Pembe Kurdele
Japanese: ピンクリボン
Chinese: 粉红丝带
Serbian: Ružičasta mašna
Slovenian: Rožnati trak

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GENETIC / HEREDITARY BREAST & OVARIAN CANCER

Every 1 in 9 people (men and women) will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. This is about 200,000 people per year. Researchers and scientists suspect up to 25% of these cancers are hereditary mutations on our genes.

Scientists are naming these genes BRCA (BReast CAncer) with a number afterward. They have been nicknamed "broken genes." The BRCA1 gene was the first one to be discovered. It is on the 17th chromosome. A second one, BRCA2, was discovered on the 13th chromosome. Right now BRCA1 & 2 are suspected for causing about 0.2 percent of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. They are the current "leaders" in cause by their share of percentage. Scientists feel upward of 25% of all breast cancers are genetic in some way and they are on the verge of identifying a BRCA3, also on the 13th chromosome.

If you have a "broken gene" you are not guarenteed to develop cancer. Your risk is just higher than that of the general popular so doing monthly self-exams, getting annual mammograms and clinical checkups are very important to catching it early, getting treatment right way, and perhaps saving your life. You can take medication which will cut your risk in half.

If you have parents, siblings or aunts/uncles with breast cancer then you are considered at "high" risk of having a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. If one of your parents has breast cancer, then your risk is 50/50. If you or your spouse has hereditary breast cancer or carry a broken gene, then each of your children have a 50/50 risk of developing it.

There is a simple (for you) blood test to see if you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews are 10 times more likely than the general population to have these two hereditary mutuations. If there is breast or ovarian cancer in your family tree, pressure your doctor to order the test. My insurance covered the cost (in full) which is good because it's several thousand dollars. My results were negative.

Don't rule out the men for developing breast cancer (1% of all breast cancers are men) or passing down a broken gene. Every year about 2000 men develop breast cancer and 450 will die from it. The famous "Shaft" actor Richard Roundtree has breast cancer. See this link for more on him: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlusBreastCancerNews/story?id=4028791. There is also a website for men and breast cancer. See http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/breastcancer.html.

SOURCES:
National Institue of Health
National Human Genome Research Institute
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Breast Cancer Awareness

I would love to be un-aware for just one day, please!

Ever since I was diagnosed with cancer, my ears now perk up whenever I hear or see anything about the subject and this reminds me about my own health and it makes me sad. Enough encounters with these demonic reminders and I go into a depression. I would love to go one whole day without someone or something reminding me of my cancer.

It's bad enough that I am reminded every time I get dressed, take a shower, or apply Mederma to the scars. I also see one of my 3 doctors quarterly and have to get mammo's and MRI's just as often. That's enough reminding for me.

Imagine, if you can, people popping out of bushes or from behind corners shouting "You have cancer!" several times a day, every day. That's what it's like! I wish I could shut these annoying people up. (I know they mean well...)

Here are some examples of what my overexposure to breast cancer awareness is like:

Last year a friend made a donation to the Susan G. Komen fund in my name. SGK sent me a little card. It was a nice gesture by my friend but I really didn't need SGK to tell me.

After I was diagnosed, I received multiple visits from Teleflora and 1-800-Flowers. My surgeries coincided with the month of my birthday so I also received flowers from my brother-in-law who didn't know yet. I treasured this bouquet because these were not pity flowers.

This year two friends went on fundraiser walks/marathons and asked me to join them. I wasn't emotionally strong enough for this. I needed to distance myself.

The last time I replaced my latex dishwashing gloves my only choice was pink "breast cancer awareness" gloves from Playtex.

This past summer I buried a friend who died from breast cancer. She had been my "big sister" who held my hand and answered my questions when I "joined the club." She handed down her scarves to me, not knowing that a year later her own cancer would return. I was an emotional wreck at the funeral. I felt like Scrooge did when he met up with the Ghost of Christmas Future at the cemetary. Someone saw me loosing it and rescued me into her hug.

Every once in awhile I receive phone calls asking me to donate money to find a cure. I tell them I donated almost $3000 last year and this year looks like it's going to be about $1000.

The entire month of October the grocery store I shop at had a huge display of pink stuff for sale - scarves, mittens, vacuum cleaners, cupcakes, cakes, ice scrapers... I recently visited Linens'n'Things to take advantage of their going-out-of-business sale - there was a big display of pink M&Ms and Tic Tacs at the entry. I think I've developed an adversion to things pink.

I used to have long hair- half way down to my elbows. Maybe once or twice a month I'll run into someone I haven't seen in awhile and they always comment on why on earth did I cut my hair. Do I tell them the truth or lie?

At the cash register area of the local arts & crafts store last week, there was a huge display of silk flowers and grave markers - giant pink ribbon symbols. This little event just screamed DEATH as well as Breast Cancer to me.

I hear about breast cancer on tv, on the radio, on the internet, on magazine covers...it's everywhere and I am feeling a little too exposed to it. Yes, I am very aware, so let's please change the subject and talk about something else!