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Cancer treatment myths: Any truth to these common beliefs?
Myth: Drug companies and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are blocking or withholding new cancer treatments
Myth: Everyone with the same kind of cancer gets the same kind of treatment
Myth: If we can put a man on the moon, we should have cured cancer by now
Myth: Drug companies and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are blocking or withholding new cancer treatments
Myth: Regular checkups and today's medical technology can detect all cancer early
Content
Myth: A positive attitude is all you need to beat cancer
Myth: If we can put someone on the moon, we should have cured cancer by now
Myth: New cancer treatments are being kept from the public
Myth: Regular checkups and today's medical technology can find all cancer early
Myth: Undergoing cancer treatment means you can't live at home, work or go about your usual activities
Myth: Cancer is always painful
Myth: A needle biopsy can disturb cancer cells, causing them to travel to other parts of the body
Myth: Surgery causes cancer to spread
Myth: Everyone who has the same kind of cancer gets the same kind of treatment
Myth: Everyone who has cancer has to have treatment
Myth: Everyone with the same kind of cancer gets the same kind of treatment
Myth: If we can put a man on the moon, we should have cured cancer by now
Myth: Drug companies and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are blocking or withholding new cancer treatments
Myth: Regular checkups and today's medical technology can detect all cancer early
Content
Myth: A positive attitude is all you need to beat cancer
Myth: If we can put someone on the moon, we should have cured cancer by now
Myth: New cancer treatments are being kept from the public
Myth: Regular checkups and today's medical technology can find all cancer early
Myth: Undergoing cancer treatment means you can't live at home, work or go about your usual activities
Myth: Cancer is always painful
Myth: A needle biopsy can disturb cancer cells, causing them to travel to other parts of the body
Myth: Surgery causes cancer to spread
Myth: Everyone who has the same kind of cancer gets the same kind of treatment
Myth: Everyone who has cancer has to have treatment
Myth: Everyone who has cancer has to have treatment
Truth: It's up to you to decide whether you want to treat your cancer. You can decide this after talking to your healthcare professional and learning about your options.
People in certain situations may decide not to treat their cancer. Some of these situations may include:
- A slow-growing cancer. Some people who have cancer might not have any signs or symptoms. Lab tests might suggest that the cancer is growing very slowly. So people might choose to wait and watch the cancer. If it suddenly starts growing more quickly, treatment may be an option.
- Other medical conditions. If you have other health conditions, you may choose not to treat your cancer. Maybe this is because the cancer may not be the biggest threat to your health. This may be true if your cancer isn't growing very fast.
- An advanced cancer. Sometimes the effects of treatment may be worse than the possible benefits of treating your cancer. But that doesn't mean your healthcare professional will abandon you. Your healthcare professional can still provide comfort measures, such as pain relief.
