A woman's breasts are arguably one of the most crucial organs on her body. To the baby, it's a source of nourishment. To the man, it's a source of immeasurable pleasure, to see and feel. And to the woman, it's her identity; she will not feel complete without them! These breasts are also one of the most dynamic organs in the body, growing to fullness each month in preparation for lactation and when fertilisation does not occur, they break down and then repeat the same cycle the following moon, anew and in synchrony with her monthly cycle.

And yet when not taken seriously, these breasts are a cause of misery to baby, mother and the men in her life (read son(s) and husband). In their lifetime, 50-80% of women will consult the doctor for breast complaints. Numerous afflictions befall the breast; infections, intractable pain, injuries, cysts and innocent lumps and the monstrous cancer to which I want to draw attention.

The growth of the breast, like any other organ in the body, is under the control of hormones. Breast cancer is a type of cancer in which the cells of the breasts grow devoid of normal control.

What can I do about it?

You can start by asking yourself the following important questions.

• When was the last time you felt pain in your breasts or noticed a lump or anything unusual?
• And when did you last take time to stand before the mirror in your bathroom to take a keener look at and feel your breasts - by yourself, that is!?
• When was the last time you visited your doctor about your breasts?

Am I at risk of breast cancer?

• There are four very important risk factors; sex, age, previous breast cancer and family history/genetic tendency
• Breast cancer is predominantly a cancer for women. For every 100 women with breast cancer, only one man will have the same.
• Breast cancer occurs only occasionally before 25 years of age. After this, the risk rises steadily up to 40 years of age and then continues until old age.
• If you already had cancer in one breast, you are likely to develop it in the other breast.
• You are also at an increased risk if your sister, mother or daughter had breast cancer (first degree relatives).

Other less important risk factors include:

• high dietary fat
• excessive alcohol intake
• failure to exercise
• early menstruation (before 12 years)
• and late menopause (after 55 years)
• failure to conceive, deliver and breast feed
• oral contraceptives and irradiation (a method of treating cancers)

Risk varies with age. But overall,

• in America and Europe for every 9 women, 1 will develop breast cancer,
• in South Africa for every 13 white women, 1 will develop breast cancer and,
• for every 81 black South African women, 1 will develop breast cancer.

The figures for Swaziland are not certain but given the similarities of the people, the risks are probably not very different.

Your breasts, what you must know