Kissing, skin color can cause cancer : myths among youth
A poll done by Teenage Cancer Trust has shown that youth between 13 and 24 years of age often have many misconceptions about cancer.
Though the poll says that there are many myths that these young people believe about this disease, in realty, data shows that child mortality through cancer has dropped.
Over the last 40 years it has fallen almost by 60 percent. Around 290 children die a year now compared to around 940 children in the 1940’s.
Some of the popular myths about cancer include believing that toilet seats can cause cancer, and that only overweight people can get the disease. Also the poll showed that 53 percent youth believe that a person is born with a cancer gene. Of the 520 young people interviewed, about 37 percent believe that one cannot be cured of cancer, and 36 percent believe that mobile phones can cause brain tumor, and another third of them believe staying near electricity pylons can cause the disease.
Other myths include that one can get cancer by kissing; higher risk of cancer if one eats colored jelly beans or keeping a mobile phone in the bra. Nearly a fifth of them said the color of the skin can determine the cancer risk, and that cancer can be passed on from mother to baby during pregnancy. According to spokesperson from the Teenage Cancer Trust these myths have emerged about the disease because of the fear factor involved with this complex disease.