Cancer Myths Debunked: What Patients in Hong Kong Need to Know
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Cancer is Hong Kong’s leading killer, with more than 30,000 new cases each year. Beyond treatment itself, patients and families often face an overwhelming flood of information: dietary tips from friends, “miracle cures” on social media, and half-truths circulating online. These can cause confusion, anxiety, and even delays in proper treatment.
This article unpacks 9 of the most common cancer myths, separating fact from fiction, so patients and families can focus on evidence-based decisions that truly improve outcomes.
Myth 1: Carrying a cancer gene means you will definitely get cancer
Not true. Even with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, not all carriers will develop breast or ovarian cancer (Antoniou et al., 2003). Lifestyle still matters. The World Cancer Research Fund estimates that up to 40–50% of cancers are preventable through healthy habits such as not smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a balanced diet (WCRF/AICR, 2018).
👉 Genes increase risk, but they are not destiny. Awareness allows earlier screening and prevention.
Myth 2: Red wine is good for health and can prevent cancer
False. While red wine contains resveratrol, which has antioxidant effects in laboratory studies, the alcohol in wine is a proven Group 1 carcinogen, raising the risk of oral, esophageal, and breast cancers (IARC, 2012).
The American Heart Association (2021) advises: if you don’t drink, don’t start for “health reasons.” Grapes and berries provide resveratrol without the cancer risk.
Myth 3: All processed foods cause cancer
Not all are equal.
- Low-risk processed foods: frozen vegetables, low-sodium canned foods.
- High-risk processed meats: bacon, ham, sausages—classified by WHO as carcinogenic due to nitrates and nitrites (WHO, 2015).
👉 For Hong Kong’s busy, takeaway-heavy lifestyle, the goal is not total avoidance but smart choices: less processed meat, lower salt and sugar, more fresh produce.
Myth 4: Being slightly overweight is harmless
Even “a little extra fat” raises cancer risk. Obesity is linked to at least 13 cancers, including breast, colorectal, and liver cancers (Calle et al., 2003).
AICR estimates that 320,000 cancers in the U.S. could be avoided if everyone maintained a healthy weight (2018). With obesity rates rising in Hong Kong, weight management is critical for cancer prevention.
Myth 5: Vitamin supplements prevent cancer
Large studies show supplements do not reliably prevent cancer (Bjelakovic et al., 2014). In fact, high-dose beta-carotene supplements increased lung cancer risk in smokers (ATBC Study, 1994).
👉 The safest approach: get nutrients from natural foods, not pills.
Myth 6: “Superfoods” can cure cancer
Blueberries, broccoli, and green tea contain antioxidants and phytochemicals shown to fight cancer in lab studies (Liu, 2013).
But no single food has been proven in human trials to cure cancer. The key is a diverse, balanced diet, not relying on a single so-called “superfood.”
Myth 7: Acidic body environment causes cancer
Wrong. Food does not change your blood pH—our kidneys and lungs tightly regulate acid-base balance (Fenton & Huang, 2016).
The acidic microenvironment around tumors comes from abnormal cancer metabolism, not diet (Gatenby & Gillies, 2004). Eating more vegetables is healthy—but unrelated to “acidic body” myths.
Myth 8: Cancer treatment is worse than cancer itself
Fear of side effects often leads patients to delay treatment. Yet modern medicine has dramatically improved survival and reduced side effects:
- Testicular cancer cure rates exceed 96% (Einhorn, 2002).
- Childhood cancer survival rose from 25% in the 1970s to over 75% today (Ward et al., 2014).
Supportive care (anti-nausea meds, oral care, nutrition support) helps patients tolerate treatment safely.
Myth 9: Miracle cures exist online
From cannabis oil to secret herbs, “miracle stories” online are often incomplete anecdotes, showing only successes but hiding failures (American Cancer Society, 2022).
While many drugs originate from natural sources (e.g., aspirin from willow bark, paclitaxel from the yew tree), these were purified, standardized, and tested in large clinical trials. Patients should be cautious of unverified “cures.”
Conclusion
For Hong Kong cancer patients, the biggest challenge is not only the disease itself but navigating the flood of misinformation. Myths and rumors can worsen anxiety or cause harmful delays in treatment.
The best defense is science-based knowledge, professional medical advice, and informed decision-making—helping patients focus on real treatments that improve survival and quality of life.
Contact our professional team now
References
- American Cancer Society. (2022). Complementary and alternative methods and cancer.
- American Heart Association. (2021). Alcohol and heart health.
- Antoniou, A. et al. (2003). Average risks of breast and ovarian cancer associated with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. AJHG, 72(5), 1117–1130.
- ATBC Cancer Prevention Study Group. (1994). The effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on lung cancer. NEJM, 330(15), 1029–1035.
- Bjelakovic, G. et al. (2014). Vitamin and mineral supplements in cancer prevention. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, (6).
- Calle, E. E., et al. (2003). Overweight, obesity, and mortality from cancer. NEJM, 348, 1625–1638.
- Fenton, T. R., & Huang, T. (2016). Alkaline water and cancer: A systematic review. BMJ Open, 6(6).
- Gatenby, R. A., & Gillies, R. J. (2004). Why do cancers have high aerobic glycolysis? Nat Rev Cancer, 4(11), 891–899.
- IARC. (2012). Alcohol consumption and ethyl carbamate.
- Liu, R. H. (2013). Bioactive compounds and health implications. J Food Sci, 78(Suppl 1), A18–A25.
- Ward, E., et al. (2014). Childhood and adolescent cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin, 64(2), 83–103.
- WHO. (2015). IARC Monographs: Processed meat.
- World Cancer Research Fund/AICR. (2018). Diet, nutrition, physical activity and cancer: A global perspective.