The message about breast cancer awareness comes from many places these days and Melanie Sykes is the latest celebrity to get involved in encouraging women to go for regular checks.

She recently posted a topless photo of herself on Instagram, explaining that she was going for a mammogram and ultrasound as part of a routine check for breast cancer.

The 47-year-old star told followers on her social media that her mum had survived the disease and stressed the importance of having regular checks.

“It’s a crazy fact that in the UK 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer at some point in their lives,” she noted in her post.

Melanie added that keeping fit, and in particular getting your heart rate up for 20 minutes a day can help lower your risk of developing the disease. She also highlighted the Breast Cancer UK 50k My Way campaign in her post, urging people to get active.

Many of the TV and radio presenter’s fans left comments on her post about their own experiences of breast cancer screening, or of fighting the disease.

Keeping fit is important for a range of reasons, but a new study found that women with a low muscle mass are less likely to survive if they develop stage 2 or stage 3 breast cancer.

The authors of the study, which appeared in the JAMA Oncology Journal, recommend maintaining a healthy weight with “adequate muscle mass” to improve the chances of survival in the event you are diagnosed with breast cancer.

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