How do we learn what we believe to be true? For the most part, we start out learning as a result of parental explanations, classroom study, schoolyard conversations, from conclusions based on personal experiences and what we read in the news. Some of the facts turn out to be myths.

One day, some of the debunked myths will be found to be not myth but truth because knowledge is not static and continually morphing as more is discovered about how things work. As it stands now, from what we know now, the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center has published 16 common myths about breast cancer. Here is a brief overview.

If I do not have a family history of breast cancer, I will not develop breast cancer. Only a small percentage of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of the disease. I say, as more is understood about genetics, that statement might change. Environmental factors and lifestyle appear to be contributing factors in the increased risk for cancer.

Only women who are old get cancer. Over 25 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer are under 50. I say, when did 50 become the milestone marker for old?

Breast cancer kills. According to statistics, women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer have a 90 percent chance of being alive ten years later. Even women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, cancer that has spread, can live for years with their disease. I say, if only one other woman has survived, the possibility of surviving breast cancer is real for all of us.

If a woman survives breast cancer for five years, she will not get cancer again. According to statistics, recurrence is more likely to happen in the first five years but 25 percent of recurrence happens 10 years later.

Chemotherapy nausea is controllable. New drugs have become available that can almost completely control nausea from chemotherapy, and very few people have persistent nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy. I say, from practical experience, that's highly debatable.

A breast lump is always cancer. Actually, most breast lumps are not cancer. However, all lumps should be checked immediately.

Herbal remedies and dietary supplements can help treat breast cancer. According to the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center mythbusters, no herbal remedy, dietary supplement or alternative therapy has been scientifically proven to treat breast cancer. I say, more research needs to be done.

If I eat healthy food, I will not get cancer. Research has proven diet is a major factor in staving off disease, but food alone cannot prevent cancer. I say, you can do all the right things and still get sick but diet certainly can make a positive difference.

My mammogram was normal, so I don't have to worry about breast cancer. Mammograms do not detect all breast cancers.

I was called back for extra views after my mammogram, that must mean I have cancer. This could just mean there is a shadow, or mass, that needs further evaluation.

Mammograms are painful. Depends on the technician performing the mammogram but mammograms are more uncomfortable than painful. Mammograms should not be painful. I say, if yours is painful, speak up!

During a breast biopsy, the surgeon might continue to remove my entire breast without telling me. In the past, if a surgeon discovered signs of cancer during the biopsy, they would continue to perform a mastectomy. They cannot do that today without your prior consent.

Cancer is painless. If the lump in my breast is painful, it cannot be cancer. Not always true.

If cancer is exposed to air during surgery, it will spread. Surgery will not cause cancer to spread.

Radiation therapy is dangerous and will burn my heart, ribs and lungs. Methods used today minimize exposure to the heart, ribs and lungs. I say, all medical treatments, and prescription drugs for that matter, come with certain risks. Always do your research before consenting to treatment and discuss concerns with your doctor. Take time to get a second opinion.

Participating in a clinical trial is good for others but not for me. According to the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center mythbusters, in all clinical trials, the minimum any woman would receive is standard treatment. In some trials, participants receive standard treatment plus a new approach, such as a new drug or a new way to use an old drug.

In other studies, researchers are seeking more answers about the biology of the cancer or the effects of the treatment, so that new ideas can be generated. In these cases, patients' participation may be as simple as having an extra tube of blood drawn or answering a survey. I say, talk to your doctor. It's a personal decision you should be comfortable making before you agree to participate.