More than half of men in the UK and 30% of women wrongly believe that you can catch cancer itself from somebody who has the disease.
The NOP survey commissioned by the Cancer Research Campaign also showed that one in three people think a divorce or bereavement can cause cancer.
Up to 40% of the 1,000 people questioned mistakenly believed that if men bruise their testicles or women their breasts it can trigger the disease.
More than half were under the impression that living near electricity pylons increased cancer risk, when this has never been proven.
'Dark ages'
Professor Gordon McVie, director general of the Cancer Research Campaign, said: "It is very worrying that so many myths about cancer still abound, and, as we enter the dawn of the new millennium, many of us are still living in the Dark Ages."
In the last century, the belief that you could catch cancer was so strong that people often refused to visit relatives with the disease in hospital.
"It's vitally important that we dispel these myths and make sure that real health messages do get through," said Professor McVie.
"For instance, our lifestyles have a big influence on our chances of developing cancer and we can all do something to help ourselves."
Worried well
Conversely, the rise in the amount of information about cancer available to the public has led to an increase in the 'worried well', say experts.
Photographer Liz King, from North Tyneside, is planning to have both her breasts removed in an attempt to prevent herself suffering from breast cancer, even though she shows no signs of the disease.
She told the BBC: "I think it scares everyone because we hear so much about the statistics for cancer."
Jean Mossman, of Cancer Bacup, a charity which provides helplines giving information to the public, says media stereotyping of cancer sufferers is to blame, portraying them either as 'brave battlers' or 'tragic victims'.
She said: "When Linda McCartney died last year, the information services we run were overwhelmed with calls. We do have in the media the extremes - and not what happens to most cancer patients."
Myth and reality
Although cancer itself cannot be caught, there is some evidence linking certain forms of the disease with viruses.
Examples of this include the Epstein-Barr virus, which is thought to be linked to Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which has been linked to cervical cancer.
Studies have also been carried out to see if there are any links between stress and relapse in breast cancer.
The main risk factors for many cancers are having an unhealthy lifestyle, for example smoking too much, eating the wrong foods and drinking heavily, and genetic factors, in which genes increasing your risk of cancer are passed down from parent to child.
Background Briefings
Medical notes
Long hours 'do damage your health'
(02 Sep 99 | Health)
Media raise cancer fears
(23 Jun 99 | Health)
Hairdressers more prone to breast cancer
(03 Jun 99 | Health)
At-risk men 'unaware' of cancer threat
(03 Jun 99 | Health)
Cancer more likely to kill poor
(23 Apr 99 | Health)
Breast cancer fears torment women
(14 Feb 99 | Health)
Eating fibre 'won't prevent cancer'
(21 Jan 99 | Health)
Cancer Research Campaign
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
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