One month a year our lives are awash in pink.

It floods sport stadiums in the form of socks, armbands, towels, cleats and gloves.

It’s seen in ribbons that grace cars, posters and advertisements.

It has even flooded the coupons in The Sunday Telegraph and the website of the Concord Monitor.

Everywhere you look, the color is a constant reminder that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

It’s a time to recognize those who are battling, those who have survived and those who, unfortunately, succumbed to this disease.

Breast cancer is second to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in women.

According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 women will most likely develop invasive breast cancer.

This year alone, an anticipated 39,620 will die from the disease and 296,980 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women, according to the society.

Although there’s no bright news in these numbers, there is a glimmer of hope.

Estimates say about 64,640 of these new cases will be carcinoma in situ, which means the cancer is non-invasive and has been caught early.

Hopefully, in 2014, this number will grow.

Females hear it time and again, but regular mammograms and monthly breast exams are a must for early detection.

You should also make yourself familiar with the risk categories. Some of these include:

• Gender: Higher levels of estrogen and progesterone than men, make women susceptible.

• Age: The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age.

• Genetics: Mutations the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is the most common hereditary factor, although there are other less common mutations. Angelina Jolie made genetic testing for BRAC mutation an international debate with an op-ed in the New York Times in May. Jolie carried a mutation on the BRCA1 gene, which led her to undergo a double mastectomy earlier this year. Her mother died of breast cancer at age 56.

• Family history: If you have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daugher) with breast cancer your risk is close to double. If two of these relatives have been diagnosed, then your chances are three-fold. Fathers and brothers with breast cancer also can mean a higher risk.

• Personal history: If you’ve had breast cancer before, your risk of reoccurance is higher.

• Race and ethnicity: White women have more cases; however, black women are more likely to die. Age also plays a factor when it comes to race.

• Breast tissue: If you have dense breast tissue, your risk is higher.

• Periods: If you start menstruating early in life and stop late, your risk is higher.

The most recent guidelines for screening from the American Cancer for Society include yearly mammograms for women older than 40. (This may make you cringe, but advances in technology mean less squishing, which means less pain.)

The society also recommends clinical breast exams at least every three years for women in their 20s and 30s.

And in your 20s, you should start doing breast self-exams on a monthly basis to make yourself familiar with the regular lumps and bumps your breasts may have, versus one that could be cancerous.

And if you are male and think you are immune, think again. According the American Cancer Society more than 2,000 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 and about 410 with breast cancer will die this year.

Male or female, know your risks, get your screenings and know your breasts. It could save your life.

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