"MRS OSOFIA, WE WILL HAVE TO 'CUT OFF' 

YOUR BREASTS"

"But Doctor, you don't understand, that is not by portion!"

Mastectomy: is a word not very common in the vocabulary of Nigeria women, much less Nigeria babes. Suppose you were confronted with it...what would you do?

Mrs Osofia's case is called a double mastectomy, a surgical procedure that removes both her breasts.

A cancer/mastectomy research conducted in Nigeria by Adetunji Saliu Oguntola et al in the Pan African Medical Journal (ISSN 1937-8688), breast cancer is the commonest malignancy among women in Nigeria [1].  Only 60 (24.2%) of the respondents believe that cancer of the breast can affect a woman if there is a strong history of death below age 50 years among three or four women in a family with breast cancer while the others 188 (77.8%) do not agree it could happen.

According the National Health Service UK, there are several different types of mastectomy, depending on the areas that are removed.

HOW MASTECTOMY IS PERFORMED

Some of the main types of mastectomy include:

1. Standard mastectomy – all the breast tissue and most of the skin covering it is removed
2. Skin-sparing mastectomy – all of the breast tissue is removed including the nipple, but most of the skin covering the breast is left
3. Subcutaneous mastectomy – a skin-sparing mastectomy where the nipple is not removed
4. Radical mastectomy – when all of the breast tissue is removed, plus the skin covering it, the two muscles behind the breast and the lymph nodes in the armpit, but this is now only carried out rarely 
5. Modified radical mastectomy – a radical mastectomy where the large muscle behind the breast (the larger of the two pectoral muscles) is left in place.

It can happen to any woman, as cancer is non-selective but for those who may be predisposed to it due to their geneticS: from mother or father's side of the family, the chances are higher. Ironically, if I ask how well you know your paternal and maternal health history, can you tell?

Amongst the risk factors conducted in Nigeria by Clement A. Adebamowo, Professor of Surgery and

Chairman of National Health Research Ethics Committee of Nigeria, some of the risk factors for breast cancer in women Nigeria leading to possible mastectomy are:

 Exogenous exposure to estrogens

 Use of hormonal contraceptives 

 Hormone replacement therapy

 Attained height and waist-hip ratio

 Dietary factors

 Animal fat

 Alcohol

 Obesity

 Tobacco smoking

A very famous actress, who may happen to be your favourite celebrity, Angelina Jolie had to take preemptive and drastic action to have both her breast removed. She admitted this in the New York Times after doctors told her she had an 87% risk of breast cancer. But what was her underlying reason for taking this step? She said she wanted to live long enough for her children.

Shocked? You shouldn't. Mastectomy is a reality.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KEEP CHECKING:

Now that you know this, when was the last time you examined your breasts?

The picture below, courtesy of breastcancer.org, takes you through the steps for breast examination.

Step1.           Step 2.  

When was the last time you you did a cervical swab test?

Or are you saying to yourself, it won't happen to me in ... name?

Did you recently see discolouration on your breast, lumps or unusual swelling or liquid secretion?

Then you should go and see you doctor.

Step 3.    Step 4.

                                                                                                                                                   

And like I would always say: prevention is better; don't give room for cure.                                       

Click on this videolink and websites to learn more: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Btllr2Vc6E

http://www.adebamowo.com/Documents/Risk%20factors%20for%20breast%20cancer.pdf

http://www.northwesternplastics.com/baBreast-Reconstruction.html