The historic National Assembly building in Sofia will be lit up with a pink ribbon tonight, a symbol of the fight against breast cancer, parliament's press office said. The lights will be on from 7pm to 8:30pm.

The words "United in the fight against breast cancer" will show next to the ribbon. Parliament is joining an awareness campaign on the disease. October is World Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which was declared in 1985.

The idea came from Prof Kostadin Angelov, chair of parliament's health committee. National Assembly speaker Mihaela Dotsova backed it and took part in person. Dotsova said that joining the campaign shows solidarity and commitment to the health of every Bulgarian woman.

The Health Ministry's website says events take place around the world every October to explain the causes of the disease and why prevention and early detection matter.

The ministry lists older age, a previous breast cancer, cases in the family and genetic risk as common risk factors. A healthy lifestyle can lower the risk: moderate exercise, a healthy weight, fewer cigarettes and no alcohol abuse. The ministry says early diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.

Bulgaria's National Cancer Plan for 2020 put the number of new cases of malignant tumours, or cancers, at 399.3 per 100,000 people. The plan draws on a health system analysis from the same year. It shows high rates of cancer of the breast in women, and of the prostate and skin. It also lists cancers of the windpipe, bronchi and lung, the colon, the body and neck of the womb, the bladder and others.

Of all European Union countries, only Bulgaria and Cyprus have seen cancer deaths rise over the past 10 years.

The European Commission published its country cancer profiles in February this year.