Public awareness of breast cancer is a very worthy goal. However, all too often, emails or other communications to promote awareness, or warn about cancer risks, devolve into myths and propaganda.
One popular myth is that using underarm antiperspirant can cause breast cancer. The claim is that antiperspirants prevent the body from getting rid of toxins through sweat. The toxins then become stuck in the lymph nodes, where they might cause cancer by mutating a cell’s DNA. Another version of this myth states that shaving the armpits makes the risk of using underarm anti-perspirant even worse, because it creates small cuts in the skin through which toxins can enter.
There are no published scientific studies to support the idea that antiperspirants cause breast cancer. In fact, studies of thousands of people found no association between antiperspirant use and cancer. In addition, smaller case-controlled studies found no link whatsoever between using antiperspirants and getting breast cancer. One group of scientists studied 813 women aged between twenty and seventy-four who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1992 and 1995. They matched these cases with 793 women who did not have breast cancer but were similar in age. The scientists then interviewed the women in both groups about using antiperspirants, using deodorants, shaving with a blade razor and applying any products under the arm within one hour of shaving. While it was clear that the use of deodorant and/or antiperspirant was very common among all the women, they did not find any differences between the groups. The risk of breast cancer was not increased if the woman used antiperspirant or deodorant, if they used either of these products and shaved their armpits, or if they put these products on soon after shaving
People believe a few other half-truths about breast cancer. Contrary to what some people think, breast cancer is not the most common killer of women; heart disease kills more women every year than any other disease. Furthermore, breast cancer is not even the most common cancer that kills women. More women die from lung cancer every year than from breast cancer. We think that it is absolutely crucial to be aware of breast cancer, to support those with the disease and to continue to look for causes of breast cancer that we can eliminate, but quitting smoking will go much further towards preventing cancer than abandoning your antiperspirant.