Does sucking on nipples cause cancer? Improbable

The December holiday has been the best time of my year since childhood. I love the festive mood and the celebrations that come with it. Like a lot of other Kenyans, this time round I travelled to the village to reconnect with my roots after months of toiling in the sexology clinic in the city in the sun. But sexology does not just live in the city, it is to be found even in the rural areas, especially during the festive season, so I had to bear with the people who interrupted my break to consult me.

The one case that left a mark was this middle-aged woman who walked into my house one morning to seek treatment for what she described as an abominable disease of our time.

“You see I warned my husband to desist from sucking my breasts but he would not listen. The result is that my nipples started discharging blood and my breasts later developed a wound that is not healing!” she explained with her eyes averted.

While that act turned her husband on, she always had her reservations. I reassured her that it was a common sexual practice. It is estimated that over 30 per cent of men do it and women actually derive pleasure from it. It is not known to lead to any breast disease. In fact, some people have claimed that the practice could prevent breast cancer but this has not been scientifically proven.

On further questioning and examination of her breast, I found features suggestive of breast cancer. Other than the breast wound, she also had all the risk factors for the disease. For one she was in her mid fifties and the disease gets commoner the older one grows.

Over 80 per cent of the cases happen in women above the age of 50 years. Secondly she reported enjoying the potent local brew, chang’aa, in the prime of her life and later busaa, a milder local brew, as she grew older. Breast cancer is commoner among women who take alcohol. Further, she had been a smoker for years, another risk factor.

PERSONAL CHECKS

She also weighed close to 100 kilogrammes and for her height, she was definitely obese, another risk factor for breast cancer. I referred her to the nearest hospital for confirmatory tests. As fate would have it, she was diagnosed with invasive cancer of the breast.

She was one of the 1.7 million women who are diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide each year. She was also a typical African woman who gets diagnosed late when the disease is hard to treat and so does not get cured.

“I have had this wound for one year but I hid it hoping it would heal,” she told me later, “it is shameful to go showing people your breast at my age, especially if you can link the disease to matters of the bedroom.”

I was lost in my thoughts, ruminating on the very easy and known early detection measures for the disease that have saved many women. The woman sat speechless in front of me with her chin in her left hand, a sign of sadness and desperation. If only she had taken the changes in her breast seriously and gone to hospital immediately, the cancer would have been detected early enough to enable successful treatment.

Personal checks at least once a month in front of a mirror are the hallmark of early diagnosis.

This can be complemented by routine mammograms as needed. A lump in the breast, a swelling, wound, contraction of the skin, discoloration and itchiness, change in the shape of the nipple as well as an abnormal breast discharge could all signal the beginning of cancer and should not be taken lightly. Further, if you have had a blood relative with cancer before, you could also have some inborn risks so you should be more aggressive with the checks. However, all women are at risk.

“Apart from early detection aren’t there ways of preventing this monster of a disease?” the woman asked.

There are simple steps one can take to prevent breast cancer. Breastfeeding a baby for long has been shown to protect the mother against breast cancer. You are luckier if you happen to have many children and breastfeed all of them for a long time.

Exercising and minding your diet is another affordable but effective preventive measure. In addition, moderate alcohol intake and avoid cigarette smoking.

GREAT PAIN

As already mentioned and contrary to popular belief, having your spouse suck your breasts for pleasure has not been scientifically shown to prevent or cause cancer or any other disease, so if a couple finds it acceptable they should feel free to include it during lovemaking.

The woman was immediately referred for admission to be operated on and have the breast removed. This was to be followed by chemotherapy.

“Do you think I will live to see the New Year?” she asked me.

 I nodded reassuringly. It was the eve of Christmas Day and she was headed for admission. Days passed thereafter and I did not hear from her.

At exactly 12.30am on 1st January, 2016, my phone rang.

“I am alive though in great pain, please make a resolution to inform women to prevent this from happening to them; it is painful,” it was the middle-aged woman speaking. I was happy to hear from her and glad that she saw the New Year. True to my promise to her, I have given the information on how to prevent breast cancer. Make sure you do your monthly breast exams diligently this year, and go to hospital if you notice any abnormalities.

To a healthy 2016!