Three Chinese actresses recently shed their clothes to pose nude to raise awareness of breast cancer. The beautiful shapes of the Aphrodites, in their 20s, 30s and 40s respectively, feature in the pink ribbon breast cancer prevention campaign, which starts in October every year.

Though somewhat controversial, the pictures sent an important message to women everywhere - care for your breasts.

The number of deaths caused by breast cancer has been increasing by 3 percent a year, making the disease one of the most serious threats to women's health. There has been an alarming rise in the number of cases over the past decade.

But we can do something besides worrying, such as educating and organizing.

Informing women about how to catch breast cancer in its early stages is an essential part of prevention.

Next month's campaign will reach out to women with several key messages - most notably the importance of early detection through annual mammography screening for women over 40.

Mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early. When coupled with the latest treatment options, mammography screenings can significantly improve a woman's chances of survival.

No one knows the exact causes of breast cancer. Doctors do know that bumping or bruising a breast does not cause cancer. Breast cancer is not contagious.

Research has shown that women in certain groups are more likely to develop breast cancer than others.

The risk increases as a woman gets older. A woman's risk of developing the disease is higher if her mother, sister or daughter has breast cancer, especially before the age of 40. Changes in certain genes increase the risk of breast cancer. The older a woman is when she has her first child, the greater her chance of contracting breast cancer. Women who begin menstruation at an early age, go through menopause late or never have children are also at an increased risk. Women who take menopausal hormone therapy for five or more years after menopause also appear to have an increased chance of developing breast cancer.

The disease is also possibly linked with other risk factors such as obesity after menopause, physical inactivity and alcohol consumption.

Many risk factors can be avoided. Others, such as family history, cannot. It is helpful to be aware of risk factors.

Improved screening and other detection techniques go some way towards explaining the increase in the number of cases. But there are other causes behind the rapidly rising figures.

Changes in lifestyle, diet and environment are directly related to the increase in breast cancer cases.

But far more money is being poured into developing new drugs to treat the disease than researching the underlying causes and eliminating them.

It might be time to think the unthinkable: Could the medical industry possibly be standing in the way of progress on tackling the root causes of the disease?

What we need are not nude photos but efforts to put together a tailored awareness program, providing women with information and hope for future innovations in breast cancer treatment.

Awareness, self examination and frequent mammography will keep more women healthy.

Still, leading a healthy life can help women stay away from the disease. This keeps men sound, too.

(China Daily September 29, 2005)