Cancer of the Prostate vs Breast - Incidence rate is higher, and mortality is comparable, when comparing Prostate to Breast cancer. Yet funding is totally skewed.

Mesca · 2009-11-09T14:30:50+00:00

What else can you do today?

Find the online-submission form for a letter to the editor of your local dead-tree publication.

Submit this letter to them:

Editors:

The concern shown by the NFL during the "Breast Cancer Awareness month" in October was admirable. But did you know that incidence of prostate cancer, which of course affects men more often than women, is equal to incidence of breast cancer? And mortality is approximately equivalent. These data come from the US National Cancer Institute. Why is it that we hear so little about a killer that affects men, but so much about a killer that affects women? Now is a good time to recognize the inequity in federal research dollars dedicated to these things. In 2007, breast cancer received more than twice the NIH funding received by prostate cancer.

Cancer is a killer, but women are not the only victims. We need to eliminate the gender bias in cancer research, now!

2009-11-09T16:51:49+00:00

Google for the article "Politics Behind The Pink" and you'll find out a whole lot more. :|

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27283197/

Mesca · 2009-11-09T14:18:09+00:00

Some additional sources:

US National Cancer Institute Prostate Cancer facts - fact sheet that shows incidence and mortality rates of Prostate cancer from 2002-2006.
Fact Sheet on Prostate Cancer from US NCI
Similar fact sheet from US NCI on Breast Cancer

The data clearly show that incidence is nearly equal, and mortality is nearly equal, yet - you don't see commercials on TV talking about protecting men's prostates. You don't see NFL players prancing around in special colored shoes to show that they support prostate cancer research.

A dirty secret - both incidence and mortality of prostate cancer is much higher in African American men, than in other populations - twice as high. The Breast Cancer lobby has black men campaigning for a cancer that affects white women, and ignoring a cancer that affects black men just as severely.

Federal funding in particular, of prostate cancer greatly lags fed funding of breast cancer. But that is only a small aprt of the story. All those "Race for the Cure" events you see - that generates huge dollars for breast cancer research. That money doesn't count in the federal tally, and in fact, it greatly dwarfs the federal dollars.

Now, having said that - it is true that breast cancer strikes younger women, more often than prostate cancer strikes younger men.
But that alone does not justify the imbalance in funding.

What can you do today?

Sign the petition on equity for prostate cancer funding.

ps: today is the 5th anniversary of my mother's death from breast cancer. God rest her soul.

Sarcasticus · 2009-11-09T16:45:22+00:00

Hopefully everyone's growing their mustache!

2009-11-09T16:45:44+00:00

Happy Movember.

Mesca · 2009-11-10T05:01:45+00:00

I'm surprised nobody mentioned colon cancer here. This is a huge killer for both genders and gets almost no funding at all

Mesca · 2009-11-09T19:04:43+00:00

That's because no one wants to save a man's ass, they want to save a woman's breasts. What do you prefer to look at? Yeah, thought so. That's why the men's prostate issue gets nil for funding.

heliosxx · 2009-11-09T15:31:54+00:00

It's worse than mortality too. Men with prostate cancer treatment often lose the ability to get an erection, and lose their fertility.

freethis · 2009-11-09T21:34:02+00:00

This disparity is related to age, not sex. The median age for breast cancer is 61 with risk increasing drastically after 40, the median age for prostate cancer is 72 with risk increasing drastically after 60. Not that ageism is any better than sexism.

InertiaCreeps · 2009-11-09T17:09:52+00:00

Yeah, but this is one of those times that it actually kinda makes sense. Here's why:

Breast cancers usually occurs earlier in life, is more likely to be malignant, metastasizes easier, and is more likely to be advanced when detected.

Prostate cancer, on the other hand, occurs later in life, is less likely to have metastasized, and grows exceedingly slowly. It is present in many, many older and yet is much less likely to be the thing that kills them.

It's a huge deal and a significant disease, yes, but in terms of overall impact and mortality breast cancer is a bit worse.

That said, the METHOD of getting the funding and the numerous other cancers that aren't getting research as well funded IS legitimate problem.

tl;dr Identical treatment is never equal treatment.

zahlman · 2009-11-09T19:24:05+00:00

Cancer should not be politicized. I will give to cancer research but not to a specific cancer. It also irritates me that only those who have lived through breast cancer are allowed to call themselves "survivors."

Veldang · 2009-11-09T21:17:36+00:00

[permanently deleted]

oconostota · 2009-11-09T20:55:46+00:00

Raise your hand everybody who would rather talk about boobies than buttholes?

Sorry much as I like a good conspiracy this one isn't.

Mesca · 2009-11-09T20:45:44+00:00

Cancer of the Prostate vs Breast: Incidence rate is higher, and mortality is comparable, yet funding is totally skewed.

FTFY

romerom · 2009-11-09T18:00:13+00:00

you don't shit from your mouth with breast cancer either.

Title	Cancer of the Prostate vs Breast - Incidence rate is higher, and mortality is comparable, when comparing Prostate to Breast cancer. Yet funding is totally skewed.
Author	Mesca
Upvotes	78
Comments	57
Date	November 9, 2009 2:11 PM UTC (16 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/a2h2y/cancer_of_the_prostate_vs_breast_incidence_rate/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/cancer-of-the-prostate-vs-breast-incidence-rate-is.1052123 https://theredarchive.com/post/1052123

Comments