1. Cancer is not contagious.
If you have cancer, it doesn't mean someone else has it, too. You may think that if someone around you has cancer, then you're going to get it, too. But this isn't true at all. There's no way you could catch cancer just by being around someone who has it. Cancer is not contagious at all.
2. Cancer is caused by bad luck.
Cancer is not caused by bad luck. Bad things happen to good people, too. If you've been unlucky lately, it won't always stay that way.
3. Chemotherapy cures cancer.
Chemotherapy can help some people beat their cancer, but it doesn't cure cancer. In fact, chemotherapy is often harmful to your body. And even though it makes cancer cells die off, they don't necessarily go away forever.
4. Radiation therapy kills cancer.
Radiation therapy works by exposing cancer cells to high doses of radiation. While this method does kill cancer cells, it can also cause damage to healthy tissue. So although radiation therapy can help treat some types of cancer, it's not a permanent solution.
5. Surgery removes all traces of cancer.
Surgery can remove tumors, but it can't completely remove them. Tumors often return later, and surgery alone can't prevent cancer from returning.
6. People recover from cancer.
People do sometimes recover from cancer. But it's rare. Most people who survive cancer eventually need treatment again.
7. Doctors know everything about cancer.
Doctors know a lot about cancer, but they still don't know everything. A doctor may tell you that something you did caused your cancer, but he might be wrong. Or maybe your doctor knows what causes cancer, but she doesn't know how to stop it yet.
You can also read: How to know if you have cancer