October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this year, the campaign celebrates its tenth anniversary in Britain. Women's Editor Christen Pears reports.

THE pink ribbon has become a symbol for breast cancer awareness across the globe, and this month, it is everywhere: on badges, T-shirts, handbags and knickers to name but a few. The reason? October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the pink ribbon campaign were pioneered by cosmetics company Estee Lauder in the US, in 1991. They were introduced in Britain two years later.

But while breast cancer may have a higher profile than many other forms of cancer, it still kills almost 13,000 women and 90 men each year. The disease affects one woman in nine and during the last ten years, there has been an 18 per cent increase in the number of cases in Great Britain.

Each year, around 40,990 new cases are diagnosed in women and 310 in men but mortality rates are improving. Earlier diagnosis and better treatment have led to a 22 per cent fall in the number of breast cancer deaths in the last ten years.

Breast Cancer Campaign is a charity that specialises in funding independent breast cancer research across Britain. It is currently supporting 43 research projects, worth over £3.8m, including four major projects at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, based at Newcastle University.

Dr Michael Tilby and Dr Barbara Durkacz have just started tests that could radically improve cancer treatments by combating the defence mechanisms of tumour cells.

The human body is made up of billions of cells. Normally, they grow, divide and die in a controlled way to produce and replace the body's tissue. If something disrupts this process, a cancer can grow. Once a tumour has formed, some of the cells can break off and travel to other parts of the body, where they form other tumours.

Many of the drugs used to treat cancer work by damaging the DNA of the tumour cells.

They also damage the normal cells but they have machinery inside them to repair themselves. Unfortunately, because the tumour cells have developed from normal ones, they can also repair themselves.

Dr Tilby says: "When you give cancer treatment, you damage everything, but when it goes well, you damage the tumour more.

"New drugs are being developed to block the repair process in tumour cells, which will make treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy more effective.

"It has become clear through research that certain types of breast cancer cells already lack some of the repair machinery and they appear to be particularly susceptible to this kind of drug. We think we will be able to exploit the weakness in certain tumour cells." Dr Tilby and Dr Durkacz are working with pharmaceutical companies on a three-year project, which they hope will result in clinical trials.

"The history of cancer research is littered with good ideas that don't pan out but it is going very well at the moment and we are as hopeful as you can ever be," says Dr Tilby.

Cancer treatments are improving all the time but there is still no cure. It is, however, possible to reduce the risk of developing the disease. Awareness is essential.

Age is the single most important factor in influencing breast cancer risk; 80 per cent of all breast cancers occur in post-menopausal women.

Some women are more genetically susceptible to the disease - if there is a history of cancer in the family, they are more likely to develop it. Regardless of age or background, the best way to increase chances of survival is to detect the cancer early, and all women are encouraged to check their breasts regularly.

The NHS breast cancer screening programme is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Since the programme began, almost 15.5 million women have been screened and almost 91,000 breast cancers have been detected. In 1988, 110,000 women over 50 accepted their invitation for screening. Last year, the figure was almost 1.5 million.

Improvements are being made constantly and, by the end of 2004, the programme will be extended to invite women up to and including the age of 70 for screening.

By the end of this year, two views of a woman's breast will be taken at every visit instead of just at the first. Research has shown that this could increase small cancer detection rates by up to 43 per cent.

Diet plays a part in the development of breast cancer, although its role is not yet fully understood. However, eating a healthy, well-balanced, low fat diet with plenty fruit and vegetables is recommended, as is regular exercise.

Post-menopausal women who are overweight have an increased risk of breast cancer. Obese women have a risk about 50 per cent higher than women of normal weight.

There is also increasing evidence to suggest that drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing breast cancer. The Department of Health advises that women should drink no more than two to three units of alcohol per day.

All of this information and advice can be confusing but the message of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is simple - it encourages women to examine themselves regularly and seek help early on.

* For more information, visit the website at www.breastcancercampaign.or