IT'S breast cancer awareness month - and as part of a drive to inform women (and men) of the UK about the killer illness and how to spot the signs early, we prepared an advice special in conjuction with national charity Breast Cancer Campaign.

The charity has a number of celebrity supporters endorsing its message, including including Bury singer, Suzanne Shaw, former Corrie star Shobna Gulati and Emmerdale actress Roxanne Pallett.

Here are some of the stats...

  • - Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK
  • - Around 45,500 women and 300 men are diagnosed with the condition every year.
  • - One in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point
  • - Every year around 12,000 women and 50 men die from breast cancer.

Fortunately, survival rates are high, with 80 per cent of women who are diagnosed living for at least five years afterwards.

This is because of earlier diagnosis, more advanced treatments and an increased awareness of breast cancer.

Women are far more likely to develop breast cancer than men, and age is the single-most important factor, with the majority of cases in post-menopausal women. Genetic susceptability (i.e a family history) is also a contributary factor in around 10 per cent of cases.