THREE'S COMPANY" star Suzanne Somers is caught in a terrible dilemma after revealing she's fighting breast cancer: Her business empire depends on the fitness of her body but she recently admitted she's resorted to liposuction. And to further complicate the situation, she's chosen a course of cancer treatment that while it has less effect on her body -puts her life at risk.

She claimed she had the lipo as a result of the disease, but the truth is the fat-suctioning procedure had nothing to do with her breasts, and experts point out that cancer and its treatment usually, cause a patient to lose weight, not put it on.

The sales of Somers' products depend on her 54-year-old body and how well it reflects the success of her Suzanne and fitness plan.

Apparently, Suzanne thought she needed the fat removal surgery to improve her figure before going on a promotional tour to sell her latest diet book -but her decision to have it done has ignited a fire storm of controversy and raised questions about her weight-loss plan.

The ENQUIRER has learned there is good news: The gifted performer is cancer-free -thanks to early detection last April, followed by surgery to remove the marble-sized lump and radiation treatment.

But we also discovered bad news: Suzanne is risking her life by ignoring doctors' advice. She is refusing to take chemotherapy designed to keep the disease from returning and she is taking hormone therapy that experts warn can actually stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells!

She is also injecting an unproven herbal treatment called Iscador -derived from mistletoe and promoted by a wealthy restaurant and real estate mogul.

Joann Schellenbach, director of the National Media Office for the American Cancer Society, told ENQUIRER: "We're once that Suzanne Somers perhaps not have all the information needs to make decisions a treating her breast cancer."

Suzanne has been raking in millions from her fitness books and videos. But on March 20, ENQUIRER broke a story headlined, "Surgery Secret BeD Fitness Queen's Body. ..Suzanne Somers Liposuction Scandel. . .Thigh Master Beauty Caught Leaving Lipo Clinic."

We revealed that in late February Somers had liposuction on her inner and outer thighs, abdomen, hips and upper back behind her armpits. She had the work done at the Lasky Clinic in Beverly Hills. What's more, a source close to the actress told us Suzanne also discussed having more plastic surgery in the neck area -but decided against it after we revealed her liposuction. Somers is pushing a new product, Face Master, a device to reduce lines and wrinkles.

On March 28, Suzanne gave an emotional interview to talk show host Larry King. She announced her battle with cancer -but was formally forced to admit she had liposuction. She claimed it was "to even things out" as a result of the cancer surgery.

But King pressed the issue and asked, "Was it done on your thighs? On your hips?" Somers refused to answer, saying, "I have a nice body." But experts say liposuction is definitely not part of routine breast cancer treatment.

During the TV interview, Suzanne confessed that when The ENQUIRER inquired about the liposuction, she deliberately had her publicist lie about what was done by the plastic surgeon. "Your publicist said it was a mole," noted King.

Replied Somers: "When The ENQUIRER first called I said just tell them it's a cancerous mole that I had removed. . ."

Suzanne also revealed she has been ignoring doctors' advice to have chemotherapy. "I decided to find alternative things to do," she disclosed. "I really feel I'm licking this. I have found other medicine from Europe. When I started taking it, it was illegal here, but now it's just been legalized. . .The treatment is called Iscador."

Suzanne revealed she injects her self in the stomach every day and will be doing so for five years. She said she found the treatment in an alternative medicine handbook by Burton Goldberg.

Health guru Goldberg is a wealthy real estate and restaurant magnate who has made a long study of alternative therapies. Suzanne claimed during the interview that the Iscador is as effective as chemotherapy. But Schellenbach told The ENQUIRER, "There's no evidence that the results are the same with Iscador and chemotherapy. "Chemotherapy has proven benefits and Iscador does not."

Terri Ades, director of Health Content for the American Cancer Society, told The ENQUIRER that while Iscador has been shown in animal studies to have some effect on cancer cells, in major studies on humans "we have seen no effects." The five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer -the type Somers had -is about 96 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

During the King interview, Suzanne also admitted she is taking hormone therapy in direct violation of doctors' orders. Her explanation: the radiation treatment "blew out all my hormones!'

She added that it's her belief that "a balanced environment of hormones prevents disease."

But Schellenbach told The ENQUIRER: "Almost any cancer doctor today would recommend that a woman with breast cancer not continue estrogen-replacement therapy during her treatment -and not use it again in the future. "Estrogen is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer."

Suzanne is continuing to merchandize her fitness products, Darris Gringeri, Home Shopping Network spokesman, told The ENQUIRER:

"On her latest shows, three days in March, she pitched Face Master, her diet books, exercise equipment, sleepwear and her own line of jewelry. "She's a great draw and will continue to do her shows." -ALAN SMITH, JIM NELSON and ROBERT BLACKMON