More women are surviving breast cancer today than ever before, the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) has said.

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which runs throughout October, the ICS is looking back on 40 years of research into this disease in order to highlight the many advances that have been made.

According to the charity, less than 50% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in 1976 could expect to survive for at least five years. Today, that figure is 85%.

"There is no doubt that the picture of breast cancer in Ireland is a much brighter one than that of 40 years ago. Much of this is down to huge advances in research," commented Dr Catherine Kelly, a consultant medical oncologist and breast cancer specialist at the Mater Hospital in Dublin.

She emphasised that advances in research bring much needed hope to patients and it is essential not to become complacent when it comes to this disease.

"While increasing survival rates are hugely significant, we must not become complacent in our battle with this disease. Better breast cancer research means better patient care, better outcomes, and one step closer to eventually beating this disease for good," she said.

The ICS pointed out that 40 years ago, breast cancer was rarely detected and no screening programmes were in place. In fact, it was only in 1976 when mammography was recommended as a screening tool by the American Cancer Society.

Today in Ireland, BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, is well established and this means that early diagnosis is much more common.

BreastCheck began in 2000 and since then, 450,000 women have been screened.

Meanwhile, in 1976, mastectomy was the only surgical option recommended to women with breast cancer. Today, a lumpectomy is more common - i.e. removing the tumour directly rather than the whole breast.

Furthermore, partial mastectomies and breast reconstruction procedures were unheard of 40 years ago.

Other major breakthroughs in relation to treatment include the use of the drug Tamoxifen, which can help stop disease recurrence in some women, and a better understanding of the links between genes and breast cancer.

For example, in the mid-1990s, it was discovered that changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can lead to a 50-80% increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Clinical trials are now underway on new drugs that may be able to treat cancers that involve these genetic mutations.

The ICS emphasised that in 2016, breast cancer is being diagnosed earlier and patients are undergoing less invasive surgery and receiving more targeted therapies.

"We now know that every breast cancer is different. Future research will focus on personalised treatment that is even better equipped to save lives and get patients back to full health," the charity added.

Paint it Pink is the ICS's breast cancer campaign - it aims to raise money for vital research and services for those affected. To donate or for more information, click here