Busting internet cancer myths

Australians may be increasing their cancer risk instead of reducing it due to the spread of internet-based misinformation about the disease, according to a snapshot of inquiries to a Cancer Council myth-busting website.

Cancer causation inquiries to Cancer Council Australia’s iheard website (www.iheard.com.au) largely reflect concerns about unfounded risk factors, promoted on websites, email and via social media.

Cancer Council CEO, Professor Ian Olver, said while the internet was a phenomenal information resource, it was also a vehicle for unproven claims and misinformation.

“For example, just Google ‘cancer’ + ‘plastic bottles’, and more than three million hits come up,” Professor Olver said. “That’s a lot of people taking an interest in a so-called cancer risk factor that is not supported by scientific evidence.

“Meanwhile, on any given day at least five million Australians are collectively doing things that will increase their cancer risk – smoking, not managing their weight, drinking excessively or being exposed to UV radiation.

“Along with a few environmental and occupational hazards such as asbestos exposure, these proven risk factors cause one third of all cancer deaths in Australia.

“What causes the other cancer deaths is not fully understood, so myths and rumours fill the void. The key is to control the things you can control, according to the evidence.”

Cancer Council Australia launched a mobile friendly version of iheard on World Cancer Day to help Australians separate the evidence from the misinformation. Just type iheard.com.au into your browser on your mobile. An App version of iheard will also be available soon.

“World Cancer Day’s theme is ‘Cancer – Did You Know?’, with a focus on myth-busting, so it’s a timely reminder to use iheard to get the cancer facts,” Professor Olver said.

Unfounded concerns about plastic bottles, deodorants and artificial sweeteners are among the many inquiries to the iheard website, along with questions about so-called cancer treatments which are either ineffective, harmful or both.

“When you see how some of the cancer misinformation is presented on the internet, it’s understandable that people are misled,” Professor Olver said.

“The evidence is sometimes unexciting compared with the myths, but an evidence-based approach to prevention, detection and treatment has led to a 30 per cent improvement in cancer survival in Australia over the past 25 years.”

(Source: Cancer Council Australia)