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Fact Finder Tool

Discover insights, research, and information to help you navigate cancer-related topics with confidence.

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CLAIM: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes cancer

Medical Issue or Treatment
Definitely or most likely true

What you may have heard Women who take hormone replacement therapy have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. What science tells us There are various types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including estrogen only, estrogen + progestin (combined), or bioidentical hormone replacement therapies. Estrogen While hormone replacement therapy with estrogen alone improves symptoms of…

Older woman touching a patch on her arm

CLAIM: Mask wearing causes cancer

Lifestyle
Definitely or most likely not true

What you may have heard Mask-wearing increases the risk of cancer. What science tells us There is a vast amount of evidence showing that long-term mask-wearing has no effect on cancer risk. The first study to make this false accusation about masks has been discredited by many other studies (Moffitt Cancer Center). The American Lung…

Woman wearing a face mask

CLAIM: Tanning beds cause cancer

Lifestyle
Definitely or most likely true

What you may have heard According to a 2012 report conducted by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, when contacted by Committee investigators, 90% of tanning salon staff provided false information about the serious risks of indoor tanning and made false claims about the health benefits that indoor tanning provides (AAD).…

View inside a tanning bed

CLAIM: Marijuana smoking does not cause cancer

Lifestyle
Impact on cancer risk undetermined

What you may have heard You may have heard that smoking marijuana is safer than cigarettes and does not cause cancer. What science tells us Marijuana is the name given to the dried buds and leaves of the cannabis plant; it goes by many names, including pot, grass, cannabis, weed, and hemp. Marijuana plants come…

Person smoking marijuana

CLAIM: Lead exposure causes cancer

Occupational & environmental exposure
Definitely or most likely true

What you may have heard Exposure to lead causes cancer. What science tells us Lead is harmful, regardless of the type of lead exposure (breathing in, swallowing, or absorbing through the skin), but the body absorbs the highest levels of lead when it is inhaled (CDC). Lead is absorbed and stored in the bones, blood,…

Peeling paint

CLAIM: Bluetooth or wireless headphones can cause cancer

Consumer products
Impact on cancer risk undetermined

What you may have heard With the introduction and increased use of Bluetooth technology, many people have been concerned about their long-term effects on cancer risk. What science tells us Because of the newness of this technology, researchers have not had enough time to study potential correlation between cancer and Bluetooth headphones. However, since the…

Bluetooth headphones

CLAIM: E-cigarettes/vaping cause cancer

Lifestyle
Impact on cancer risk undetermined

What you may have heard Smoking e-cigarettes or vaping can increase your risk of lung cancer. What science tells us These products are known by many names including e-cigs, vape pens, vaporizers, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). They consist of a battery that turns the device on, a cartridge containing liquid (or “pod”), and…

Person vaping

CLAIM: Tobacco use causes cancer

Lifestyle
Definitely or most likely true

What you may have heard Tobacco use is a leading cause of cancer and cancer death. It is also the biggest preventable cause of cancer. What science tells us All tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and snuff contain poisonous substances, cancer-causing agents, and nicotine (a highly addictive substance). Cigarettes are the…

Various tobacco products

CLAIM: Lack of sleep increases your risk of cancer

Lifestyle Medical Issue or Treatment
Definitely or most likely true

What you may have heard A disrupted sleep cycle reduces our body’s ability to function properly and decreases its ability to ward off cancer (Shafi et al.). What science tells us The World Health Organization (WHO) states that circadian disruption alone is a risk factor for cancer.“Circadian disruption” is defined as any change in sleep…

Person lying awake in bed in darkened room

CLAIM: Stress causes cancer

Lifestyle
Definitely or most likely true

What science tells us Short-term or acute stress, such as stress you might feel before giving a speech, tends to go away soon after the stressful event. Long-term or chronic stress, however, is more damaging. Chronic stress can weaken your immune system and increase your blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar levels. Chronic stress…

Hands breaking a pencil

CLAIM: Sitting too close to the TV causes cancer

Lifestyle
Definitely or most likely not true

What you may have heard The Daily Mirror published a story in 2003 claiming that sitting too close to the TV for prolonged periods of time increases cancer risk. What science tells us Older TVs gave off low levels of radiation, but modern TVs are built with proper shielding, so people are protected from potential…

Young child sitting right in front of a television, staring into the screen.

CLAIM: Obesity causes cancer

Diet & nutrition Lifestyle
Definitely or most likely true

What you may have heard Obesity has been linked to various types of cancers. What science tells us Obesity or high body mass index (BMI) is a condition in which a person has an unhealthy amount and/or distribution of body fat. To measure obesity, researchers often use the BMI scale, which is determined by dividing…

Torso of an overweight person grabbing their excess fat