Lifestyle and family history can significantly increase your chances of getting breast cancer, but the biggest risk factor is simply being female, said the TB Cancer & Health education officer on Friday, as Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicked off.

?Eighty percent of women who get breast cancer have no associating factors such as a family history,? said education officer Rachael Andrade.

All women should regularly do their breast self-examinations to check for changes or lumps and women over 40 years of age should have an annual mammogram.

However, it is important to note that a small number of men also get breast cancer.

?Men do carry the genetic mutations whether they develop breast cancer or not. We also want to make sure that men are aware of the potential danger that is there,? said Mrs. Andrade.

Women with a family history of breast cancer and certain other cancers should also pay close attention to their health. An ongoing breast and ovarian cancer study in Bermuda that ties in with Dana Farber Cancer institute in Boston, Massachusetts, has identified several high risk families in Bermuda. Women in those families are advised to have their mammograms at an earlier age.

Women with the breast cancer genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2 ? often face the decision of whether to have their breasts and ovaries removed to reduce the chance of cancer.

Women with those inherited BRCA mutations have up to an 80 percent chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime and up to a 40 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer.

The true value of preventative mastectomy to reduce the risk of breast cancer is less clear. A woman still has a small chance of developing breast cancer even after breast removal because some breast tissue is left behind.

The good news is that detection equipment and screening techniques for breast cancer are getting better.

?Mammography is much superior than years gone by,? Mrs. Andrade said. ?There is also more education about the disease.?

Some of the money raised during Breast Cancer Awareness month will go to TB Cancer & Health?s cancer resource centre that has information on a range of cancers.

?Our resource centre looks at a selection of cancer and its impact,? said Mrs. Andrade. ?Some of the information deals with topics like, how do you talk to your family about your diagnosis, and living well and dying well.

The resource centre, located on the first floor of the new facility at 46 Point Finger Road, is a lending library with a growing collection of print, audio-visual and computer resources on all aspects of cancer, including: disease and treatment information, coping and support, talking with children, survivorship issues and more.

?We encourage the public to come up and browse,? said Mrs. Andrade. ?It is always interesting what information people will take. It is structured for the individual. We want them to feel comfortable and free to take what is pertinent to their needs.?

Mrs. Andrade said it is important that we all learn about cancer, so that the community can ?move along a path to hope and healing?.

The cancer resource centre offers a variety of educational, inspirational and positive materials.

The information is designed to empower patients, families, caregivers and the public to make informed decisions and become active partners in their health care.

?Our materials are available not only for people facing a diagnosis of cancer but also for family members and friends,? said Mrs. Andrade.

People looking for information can also use the centre?s internet-connected computers independently, or request a professional search for information on a specific topic.

Mrs. Andrade said the rate of breast cancer in Bermuda is probably about the same as in other places, but the smallness of the Island amplifies the numbers. Korea has the lowest incidence of breast cancer in the world.