MYTH BUSTING
From being tall to bras and deodorant – doctor demystifies the things that DO and do NOT give you cancer
Read how to check your body for signs of cancer
IT feels like ‘everything causes cancer’ these days, and with one in two of us to get a diagnosis in a lifetime, it may feel like the odds are stacked against us.
However, Dr Liz O’Riordan never dreamed she’d get the disease - not least because she was a breast cancer surgeon herself.
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The 50-year-old admits she didn’t even check herself for signs of cancer, such as for lumps, before getting the devastating news at the age of 40.
Dr Liz, who lives in Suffolk with her husband, Dermot said: “It was in 2015, as a fit 40-year-old triathlete with no family history, that I was diagnosed with a large breast cancer myself.”
Obesity, smoking and booze - most of us are aware of some of the key drivers of cancer.
Dr Liz didn’t tick many of the risk factor boxes, that’s for sure.
Read more on cancer
But, regardless of who you are, or where you come from, Dr Liz says: “Getting cancer was not your fault.
“There are those of us who’ve never smoked, eaten well and exercised all our lives.
“There are some of us who haven’t, and there are people who have smoked and drank far more than we ever did and remain cancer-free.
“Now there may have been moments in your past where, like me, you didn’t follow a healthy lifestyle.
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“But for most of us, the main reason we got cancer is down to rotten luck.”
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In her new book, The Cancer Roadmap: real science to guide your treatment plan, Dr Liz dispels myths about the disease - from the causes to the bogus ‘cures’.
After two recurrences in 2018 forced her to retire as a surgeon, Dr Liz became an author and social media educator on breast cancer, now with 78,000 followers.
Speaking of her diagnosis, she says: “I was an expert in cancer, a double doctor; a breast surgeon with a PhD in molecular oncology and in total shock that I was given such a diagnosis.
“I took a deep breath as I sat in the consultant’s office, I knew in my gut it was bad news.
“I had given the very same diagnosis to hundreds of women over the years.
“Even though I knew it was coming, when she looked at me and confirmed that I had a large breast cancer, I still couldn’t believe it.
“I thought there was nothing about the disease that I didn’t know.”
Suddenly, Dr Liz was thrust into the world of being a cancer patient which, as an expert in the disease, was “terrifying”.
But she hopes to give others who have found themselves in her position the tools to “spot misinformation” on their cancer journey.
Here, Dr O’Riordan dispels the facts from the fiction when it comes to things that can influence cancer risk.
FACT: WHAT CAN CAUSE CANCER
AGE
DR Liz says: "Getting older is the biggest risk factor for developing cancer.
"The longer you’ve lived, the more tired your cells are, and the more likely you are to develop cancerous mutations.
"This is backed up by national statistics that tell us how many cancers there are for a certain age group."
Cancer Research UK says the peak age of cancer diagnosis is between 85 and 89 years old.
But only a third (36 per cent) of cases each year are among people aged 75 and over, so it is important to be aware of risks across a lifetime.
CARCINOGENS
TOXIC fumes, rays and bugs - there’s certainly a lot in our environment that can influence cancer risk.
Dr Liz says: "A carcinogen is something that can create cancer-forming mutations in our DNA.
"Some occur naturally in our environment, like viruses and ultraviolet light from the sun.
“Others are chemicals like alcohol, nicotine [which is not a carcinogen but can make you addicted to tobacco, which is] and asbestos.”
Of course, never drinkers or never smokers will get cancer - even some people who are careful in the sun can get skin cancer.
And the same goes for the other way around.
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Dr Liz says: "If you are exposed to a carcinogen, it doesn’t automatically mean that you’ll get cancer.
"A lot depends on the dose and how long you’re exposed to it.
"Take a woman who’s only had one glass of wine in their lifetime and compare her with another woman who’s drunk a bottle of wine every day for 20 years."
OBESITY
OVERWEIGHT and obesity is the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK after smoking.
It’s linked to at least 13 different types of cancers, thought to cause around one in 20 overall cases.
There are only three food types directly linked to cancer formation
Dr Liz O’Riordan
Dr Liz says: "The more you weigh, the greater your risk of getting cancer.
"We also know that people who are obese when they are diagnosed with cancer also have a higher risk of developing a second, unrelated cancer."
PHYSICAL INACTIVITY
EXERCISE is a critical cancer deterrent.
So if you don’t move much, you could be putting yourself at a higher risk.
Dr Liz says: "We estimate that five per cent of all cancers are due to a lack of regular exercise.
"The cancers with the strongest links to inactivity are breast, bowel and endometrial cancer, where exercise can increase the risk of developing them by up to 30 per cent."
DIET
THOSE food decisions you make on a day-to-day basis all add up over a lifetime and influence a number of conditions - whether it be heart disease, diabetes or cancer.
Dr Liz says: "People who eat a healthy diet are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and less likely to have chronic inflammation, which decreases your cancer risk.
"There are only three food types directly linked to cancer formation – red meat, processed meat and ultra-processed foods when eaten in large amounts."
The NHS says if you currently eat more than 90g (cooked weight) of red or processed meat a day, it is recommended that you cut down to 70g.
Red meat includes beef, lamb, pork and goat while processed meat includes ham, bacon and sausages.
A slice of ham is around 23g of weight, while three slices of roast beef or lamb is around 90g.
BEING TALL
SOME studies have found that people who are tall are more likely to get cancer.
For example, one published by Cancer Research UK said there was a 16 per cent higher relative risk for every extra 10cm (4 inches) of height.
However, it is not necessarily a cause of alarm for those who are tall.
Dr Liz says: "Scientists think it’s not your height itself, but the things that happened to make you tall – like the genes you inherited and your childhood diet.
“Or, things that might have affected you when you were in the womb, a baby and going through puberty or how early you went through puberty.
“They all work together to increase your risk of getting cancer."
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BREAST IMPLANTS
WOMEN with breast implants may want to be aware that this could up their cancer risk.
Dr Liz says: "In 2016 scientists discovered that some textured breast implants can cause a very rare type of blood cancer called a Breast-Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
"It’s a cancer of the immune system.
"The first symptom is a very large swollen breast due to a build-up of fluid."
Generally, symptoms of breast cancer include a lump, skin changes (such as a rash or puckering), nipple changes (such as inversion or discharge), change in the size or shape of the breasts or pain.
FALSE: WHAT DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER
SUGAR
DR Liz says: "Sugar doesn’t cause cancer.
"There is no scientific evidence to prove that it does."
Sugar, when eaten in excess, increases the risk of you putting on weight, as well as diabetes and other health implications.
And while these are linked to cancer, sugar itself does not directly lead to cancer.
Staying positive after a cancer diagnosis will not stop your cancer coming back.
Dr Liz
UNDERWIRED BRAS
ONE widespread myth is that bras - mainly those with underwriting - cause breast cancer.
This may have something to do with the book Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, in which the authors claimed that bras restricted lymphatic drainage in the breast area, causing a build-up of toxins.
But the book has been widely criticised by experts for its lack of evidence.
Dr Liz says: "Every major international breast cancer charity and cancer health organisation states that bras do not cause breast cancer.
"I promise you they are safe."
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TOXIC THOUGHTS
‘MIND body connection’ and ‘think positive thoughts’ may have you believing that cancer can occur as a result of a negative outlook on life.
But Dr Liz says: "Your negative thoughts, past life stresses or personality are not the cause of your cancer.
“Staying positive after a cancer diagnosis will not stop your cancer coming back."
True, looking after mental health and stress can help with your overall health.
But the reality is cancer is caused by genetic mutations that disrupt normal cell growth and repair - and this is not brought on by the thoughts in your head.
DEODORANTS
WHAT about that stuff we slather on our armpits every day?
While some people are going for a more natural look or product, this does not mean there is anything wrong with mainstream deodorants.
Dr Liz says: "You don’t need to change your deodorant to stop you getting cancer.
"In 2020, the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety looked at all the evidence.
“They published a report that confirmed aluminium is safe in all cosmetic products and stated that it does not cause breast cancer.
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"You can safely use any deodorant or antiperspirant and know that it will not do you any harm.”
The myths say that ingredients in deodorants, like metal that may be absorbed through the skin, may influence cancer risk.
Dr Liz says: "If you want to use a natural, metal-free product, go for it.
"But it won’t reduce your risk of getting breast cancer in the future."
FILLINGS
YOU may want to find a reason to avoid the dentist - but cancer shouldn’t be one of them.
Dr Liz says: "There is absolutely no evidence that amalgam fillings cause cancer.
"The American Dental Association, the Oral Health Foundation, the British Dental Association and the World Health Organization, to name a few, all agree on this.
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"You don’t need to have your fillings removed to stop you getting cancer."
The Cancer Roadmap: real science to guide your treatment plan by Dr Liz O’Riordan (Thomson’s, £16.99) is out now
Body checks you can do now
- Check your semen: It should be a white-grey colour. Red in semen or yellow-green should be assessed
- Check your testicles: Roll each of them between your finger and thumb to gently feel their surfaces to look for swellling, hardness or lumps.
- Check your breasts: Both men and women should be aware of the signs of breast cancer, which are lumps, inverted nipples, fluid oozing from the nipple, a sore or rash around the nipple, hard, red skin, swellings or lumps in the armpit.
- Check your peeing habits: Going more often, straining to go, having a weak flow or feeling like you've not emptied? These could be signs of a prostate problem.
- Check your blood pressure: You can check your blood pressure at home using an automated digital device, at the GP or pharmacy.
- Check your heart: Your heart rate should be somewhere between 60 and 100 bpm. You can count using a clock and pressing lightly on the inside of your wrist.
- Check down the loo: Look for signs of blood in stool or if you've had a persistent change in frequency or type of stool (e.g. diarrhoea or more difficulty). Pain when going should also be checked out.
- Check your cholesterol: The best way to check your cholesterol levels is by visiting your pharmacist or GP but you can also check it at home with tests including .
- Check your nails: Ridges, dents, brittleness and clubbing of the nails can all indicate an underlying health issue.
- Check your hair: Hair loss is seen in both men and women from middle age, but iron deficiency can also cause it.
- Check your BMI: Your body mass index (BMI) is a simple way to check whether you’re a healthy weight. Use an online calculator such as that .
- Check for lumps and bumps: Changes to the skin, including around the genitals, moles and marks must be checked.
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