Sid Mukherjee’s, The Emperor of All Maladies, captures well both the scientific complexity and the deep social and emotional toll of cancer. Cancer is portrayed as a genetically and biologically complex disease that can elude early detection, hamper accurate diagnosis, and resist treatment. We all know someone suffering from cancer or lost due to cancer. We are all at personal risk for developing a malignancy in our lifetime – 38% of us will develop cancer.
An online search for “cancer” yields a wealth of credible information about the disease and its treatment, but also a mountain of myths and misconceptions. When confronted with this tsunami of information how does one distinguish scientifically proven guidance from myths that may sound perfectly logical and emotionally satisfying?
Read this article (beginning on page 18) and arm yourself and your family with some common cancer myths and misconceptions as well as the knowledge and actions needed to help prevent cancer.