Deodorant, artificial sweeteners and makeup have all been rumoured to cause cancer but the Cancer Council is warning people not to believe everything you read online, as cancer myths flourish with the growth of online communication.

Director of Education and Research at Cancer Council WA, Terry Slevin, said the council has compiled a list of common cancer myths to address misinformation online.

"The capacity for these myths to be disseminated through the net, whether it's through mass emails, Facebook and other tools, is a very efficient way of getting stories around," he said.

Mr Slevin said the myths come about as a result of obscure studies, misinterpretation of research and commercial interference.

"We'd like to see people focus on the things that will make a difference, that will reduce people's cancer risk and not focus on the things that really just cause anxiety and concern unnecessarily," he said.

Here are some of the myths the council is keen to bust:

Nipple cripples

This is an old myth that came from the notion that a bump, knock or bruise might result in cell damage which could then lead to cancer.

Mr Slevin said there was no evidence to support the theory that adverse contact would cause cancer.

Rumours that bumping or knocking the breast cause cancer have never been proven, according to the Cancer Council. ( Ruslan Kulski )

However he did say:

"I don't know of any randomised controlled trial studies of people who have or have not been nipple crippled."

It is possible researchers were lacking volunteers to test the nipple cripple theory

Burnt toast

The concern around burnt toast came from a chemical called acrylamide, which was produced when sugars and certain amino acids were heated together during cooking.

There have been reports that acrylamide might be linked to increased cancer risk but Mr Slevin said the dose you would be exposed to in a piece of burnt toast was minute.

"It's preposterous to suggest that there's an increased risk of cancer associated with burnt toast," he said.

Myths linking burnt toast to cancer are popular on online community forums. ( Source: Ruslan Kulski )

The Cancer Council stressed when you read about research online it was important to consider the quality of the evidence.

Toothpaste

Sodium lauryl sulfate makes toothpaste foam and there have been concerns raised that it may increase cancer risk.

The research so far has not found any link between this common toothpaste ingredient and cancer.

Mr Slevin said toothpaste was under close scrutiny by a variety of agencies like the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme in Australia.

"Those agencies take that responsibility very seriously so they will gather the best evidence and science around and they'll come down with a finding," said Mr Slevin.

Sniffing freshly photocopied paper

Mr Slevin said this was a new myth based on suspicions that toner cartridge from photocopiers was carcinogenic.

It is unclear why anyone would sniff freshly photocopied paper, however, if you do, "there is no evidence to support that theory," Mr Slevin said.

Toiletries

Deodorant and sunscreen were also commonly thought to be cancer risks, but the Cancer Council said these were also simply myths.

Only 55 per cent of Australians recognise it is safe to use sunscreen ever day. ( iStockPhoto - CentralITAlliance )

Top 5 sunscreen myths Myth 1 Sunscreen shouldn't be used on a daily basis as it's not safe FALSE: Sunscreen and sunscreen ingredients are strictly regulated by the TGA to ensure it is safe and effective. It can be worn on a daily basis without harming your health and should be used alongside other forms of sun protection, whenever UV levels are 3 or above. Myth 2 Using sunscreen will stop you getting enough vitamin D FALSE: A number of studies show sunscreen use in real life has minimal impact on vitamin D levels. In summer, most Australians get enough vitamin D through incidental sun exposure — for instance while walking to the shops at lunch. Even those who are vitamin D deficient shouldn't sunbake or skip sun protection. Myth 3 If you have a good sunscreen it's enough to protect you from the sun FALSE: Sunscreen should always be used in conjunction with protective clothing, seeking shade, a broadbrim hat and sunglasses. Sunscreen is not a suit of armour and shouldn't be used to extend your time in the sun. Myth 4 Using a water resistant SPF50+ means you can stay in the sun longer without having to reapply FALSE: Any sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours, or after swimming, sweating or towel drying, regardless of the level of water resistance advised on the bottle. Myth 5 You only need a little bit of SPF50+ to be protected FALSE: To get the correct level of SPF you need to apply the right amount of sunscreen. This should be at least one teaspoon per limb, one for the front of the torso, one for the back, and one for the head. This is seven teaspoons (or 35ml) in total. Source: Cancer Council Australia

Mobile phones

It has long been theorised that keeping a mobile phone in your pocket could give you testicular cancer.

This particular myth has been closely examined over a long period of time.

The World Health Organisation has been coordinating an international study on people's exposure to mobile phones but Mr Slevin said there was no link at the moment.

"There isn't any convincing data to suggest that mobile phones contribute to testicular cancer, brain cancer or any other type of cancer," he said.