Women of all ages need to check their own breasts regularly to avoid unpleasant surprises.

This was the message harped on by professionals yesterday during a press conference to mark Breast Care Awareness Month.

Last year, 61 women lost their battle with breast cancer, and although the mortality figures are on the decrease (there were 103 deaths of breast cancer in 2000) complacency is not an option.

Breast cancer remains the second most common killer in women, surpassed only by heart disease. Every year, around 200 women in Malta discover they have breast cancer. According to the experts, the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the higher the chances of recovery.

"Prevention is the most important thing. Once things get hold of you, it's usually too late. We have seen the disasters when women turn up at a later stage," Saint James Hospital's Josie Muscat stressed.

He pointed out that breast cancer does not develop overnight, but takes an average of five to 10 years from when it starts forming to when the lump can be felt.

But when the cancer can be felt, this might be already too late.

"We need to catch it as early as possible, before the cancer has had the chance to spread in the blood stream," he said. If the cancer gets into the system, sufferers would be running the risk of having it appear again after a few years, sometimes in other places.

If put crudely, Dr Muscat said, women with advanced breast cancer have only themselves to blame since they have been told over and over again about the importance of regular checking.

On a positive note, Dr Muscat said around 90 per cent of breast lumps are not cancerous, but this should not lead to complacency and everything has to be checked.

While women should perform regular checks themselves, it is also imperative for those aged 39 and over to have mammograms.

Radiologist Malcolm Crockford said that contrary to rumours, having a mammogram was not a painful experience. He urged women not to go around saying that mammograms hurt lest they scare other women away.

Dr Crockford said many women have got used to having regular smear tests, and should now accept the need to have their breasts checked, especially since the chance of getting breast cancer is eight times that of having cervical problems.

He said any woman could get breast cancer, not only those who have a family history of it.

Men were also urged to be conscious of breast cancer, and the experts said there was nothing wrong for men to check their partners' breasts and vice versa.

Jackie Vassallo - the tireless president of the local Breast Care Support Group Europa Donna Malta, and herself a survivor of breast cancer - said although the numbers were low, even men could get breast cancer.

Health Promotion Department senior health promotion officer Marianne Massa said women should do their utmost to try and prevent breast cancer, including eating healthily and maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and not drinking excessively.

To encourage more women to have a mammogram, Saint James Hospital has reduced its prices for this month from the usual Lm29 to Lm19.

The hospital is about to launch a one-stop-shop department where women will be taken care of from beginning to end in relation to breast cancer.

Breast checks

Women should examine their breasts regularly, preferably every month, from a young age. Ms Vassallo said checks should start when a girl is in her teens, so that she gets used to her breasts and can notice any changes.

Because the consistency of the breasts changes during menstruation, a woman should do her regular check after she finishes her cycle. Post menopausal women should pick a day, and check their breasts on that day monthly.

Ms Massa said the cushions at the ends of the finger should be used to go round the breasts, first exerting little pressure, the second time with a little more pressure and a third time exerting a lot of pressure to check the inner breasts.

The breasts should also be checked while lying down, because a larger area can be checked.

Ms Massa urged women to also check their underarms for any lumps.

It is also important to look at the breasts to check them for any changes in size, colour, shape or contour. Women should look for dimples or puckering or to see whether any of their nipples are becoming inverted if they are not normally so.

The recommendation is to contact a doctor if something abnormal is seen or felt.