One in 12 women will get breast cancer but most women who get breast cancer will not die from it. It is possible to increase the chances of surviving breast cancer.

The older you are, the higher the risk. About 80 per cent of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50. Breast cancer also affects men but it is rare. Around 300 men in this country are diagnosed with breast cancer each year There are a lot of myths surrounding breast cancer. Although it can run in families, fewer than ten per cent of cases are as a result of the risks associated with having had a relative with breast cancer. There is no good evidence that deodorants increase the risk of cancer. And although many people think pregnancy increases the risk of breast cancer, in fact, the more children a woman has, the lower her risk of getting breast cancer, especially if a woman breastfeeds her child.

More people are being diagnosed with breast cancer. One reason for this is that more people are overweight, and the risk of breast cancer increases with breast size. This is yet another reason for trying to shed some pounds if you are overweight.

But more people are surviving. This is due to improved treatment and earlier detection mainly through screening. It is vital for women to attend screening when invited. This will be every three years starting between 47 to 50 and finishing between 70 and 73, although older women can still ask for screening.

You should also know what is normal for you, know what to look and feel for, and report any changes to your GP without delay.

Communities Against Cancer is a community project recently launched in Bury to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of breast, bowel and lung cancer, for further information please call 0161 272 4077.