Before my posting to the Histopathology Lab at FMC, Abeokuta, breast cancer was mostly something I knew from lectures, health campaigns and the occasional story online. But during that posting, it became much more real to me.

I remember that breast tissue samples from women who had undergone surgery for breast lumps and suspected or confirmed cancer were brought to the laboratory quite often. As students, we were learning the process—how specimens were received, processed, embedded, sectioned, stained and examined. But after seeing those breast specimens come in repeatedly, I started thinking about the patient behind each one.

It made me realise that what we call a "specimen" in the laboratory is actually a piece of somebody's life story.

That experience changed the way I understood breast cancer.

Breast cancer is not just a statistic

Globally, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. In 2022, about 2.3 million women were diagnosed worldwide, while approximately 670,000 people died from the disease.

Nigeria is also facing a significant burden. According to GLOBOCAN 2024, breast cancer has an estimated incidence rate of 47.8 cases per 100,000 women in Nigeria, making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country.

When we hear this, it can sound like just another figure in a report. But in reality, these are thousands of women and families dealing with a diagnosis that can affect their health, finances, work and everyday lives.

And this is one reason I think we need to talk about breast cancer beyond just saying, "Women, check your breasts."

We need to understand it.

So, what increases the risk?

First, let's clear something up.

Breast cancer is not always caused by a particular food someone ate, a habit they had, or something they did wrong. Cancer is complex, and some women develop breast cancer without having an obvious modifiable risk factor.

Age is an important risk factor. A family history of breast or ovarian cancer can also increase risk, especially when inherited gene changes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 are involved.

Some lifestyle and reproductive factors can also influence risk. These include physical inactivity, excess body weight, alcohol consumption and tobacco use. Certain hormonal exposures and reproductive factors may also play a role.

So yes, our lifestyle matters, but we shouldn't turn breast cancer into a blame game.

If someone develops breast cancer, telling them, "You should have exercised more" or "You shouldn't have eaten this" is neither helpful nor necessarily accurate.

What can we actually do?

There is no guaranteed way to prevent breast cancer because some risk factors, such as age, sex and inherited genetic changes, cannot be changed.

However, we can still make choices that support our health and may reduce the risk.

Being physically active is one. And no, you don't necessarily need to start looking for a gym membership immediately. For many of us, simply walking is a good place to start. For me, I prefer light exercise (like walking, jogging, dancing, stretching) to heavier ones. I no get the strength for that one oo.

Eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol are also important. For women who have children, breastfeeding has also been associated with a lower risk of breast cancer.

But prevention is not only about lifestyle.

Knowing your body is important too.

Imagine someone who normally has no lump in her breast suddenly notices one while bathing. She might think, "It doesn't pain me, so let me leave it."

Then one week becomes one month.

One month becomes several months.

This is where we need to change the mindset.

A new lump, thickening, change in breast size or shape, skin dimpling, nipple changes or unusual discharge should be properly assessed by a healthcare professional. Not every lump is cancer, but you cannot determine that reliably by simply touching it and guessing.

And please, Google and Chat GPT can give information, but it cannot examine you. Sometimes the information are not even correct.

Let's make it practical

For students especially, life can get busy very quickly.

Some wake up late, rush to class, spend hours sitting during lectures, grab whatever food is available, stay up late studying or scrolling, and tell ourselves we'll take better care of our health later.

“Abeg, I have test tomorrow. My health can wait.”

But health doesn't always wait until we are ready.

The same applies to our mothers and aunties. Some women are so busy taking care of everyone else that their own health becomes an afterthought. A mother can spend the whole day worrying about her children, preparing food and handling family responsibilities, yet ignore a change in her own body because “it's probably nothing.”

Sometimes, the people around us need encouragement to prioritise themselves too.

A simple, “Have you checked that lump?” can start an important conversation.

And yes, men can have breast cancer too

Breast cancer is much more common in women, but men can develop it too. It is rare, accounting for roughly 0.5–1% of breast cancers, but it does happen.

So, gentlemen, an unusual lump or change around the breast or nipple should not automatically be dismissed with “I'm a man, so it can't be breast cancer.”

It can.

Rare, yes. Impossible, no.

Beyond awareness

Breast cancer awareness should not mean simply telling people to "check their breasts." It should also mean creating an environment where women feel comfortable discussing changes in their bodies, where families encourage one another to seek proper medical care, and where people understand that early assessment is better than waiting until a problem becomes difficult to manage.

We cannot prevent every case of breast cancer. But we can make healthier choices, understand our risk, pay attention to unusual changes and seek professional help when necessary.

And as MLS students, we can contribute by becoming better-informed healthcare professionals who understand that every test result has a person attached to it.

For me, that is what breast cancer awareness should really be about.

Not fear. Not blame. Not assumptions. Just better knowledge, earlier action and better care.