Written By: Tania Tarafdar | Published : October 17, 2015 11:41 AM IST
I am a 32-year old woman and have heard that wearing underwire bra can cause breast cancer. Is it true?
The exact cause of breast cancer isn't known yet and majority of the risk factors that we know about do not explain the reason well. However, underwire bras are believed to cause cancer as many people fear that it compresses the lymph nodes of the breasts, causing toxins to accumulate, that can lead to breast cancer. But how accurate are these claims? Dr. Dhairasheel Savant, Treasurer Indian Society of Oncology Consultant Cancer & Reconstructive Surgeon Asian Institute of Oncology debunks the myth saying that the bras you wear cannot cause any injury to your breasts. The type of bra you wear or the fit of your underwear or your clothing has no connection with breast cancer risk.
Also, there has been no proven link between wearing an underwire bra and breast cancer. In fact, a recent study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, suggests that there is no increased risk of breast cancer due to wearing an underwire bra[1].
Although there is no link between the type of bra you wear and breast cancer risk, it makes sense to ensure that you wear a comfortable bra. Here s how you can choose the right bra for yourself. If you have concerns about your breasts, do a self-breast exam or schedule a mammogram or a clinical breast exam with your doctor.
Image source: Getty Images
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Reference:
[1] Lu Chen, Bra Wearing Not Associated With Breast Cancer Risk- A Population-Based Case-Control Study , Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 2014; doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-14-0414
