Why does breast cancer get so much more attention than other forms?

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Right, because this is what the whole point of the thread was about :rolleyes:

The no make up campaign and everyone talking about it just reminded me of the girl with pancreatic cancer saying she wished she had breast cancer.

I was just illustrating that that's why it gets more attention - because it has an excellent charity behind it. Others have already mentioned the utility argument for breast cancer research/treatments.

As much as that no make-up thing irritated me, I actually saw a lot of people donating money that usually wouldn't, so I guess in a backwards way, it worked? Having said that I have no idea if it was supposed to be for breast cancer or just cancer in general (I donated to a general cancer charity, fwiw).

Reply 21

redferry

Original post by Jordooooom

Right, because this is what the whole point of the thread was about :rolleyes:

The no make up campaign and everyone talking about it just reminded me of the girl with pancreatic cancer saying she wished she had breast cancer.

In all fairness a lot of men on this website do regularly bitch about how prostate cancer gets less attention than breast cancer.

Reply 22

Revenged

breast cancer there are a number of reasons.

1) most common cancer in women
2) screening - most people know of it as have to have regular mammograms
3) is easy to detect - e.g. new breast lumps over 50 likely cancer
4) high cure rate as breast / lymph nodes can be easily surgically removed
5) high publicity (many celebrities have had it)
6) very high profile cancer charities

in comparison,

prostate cancer - primarily affects old men and is less common, most with prostate cancer are well, the cancer is commonly benign or so slow growing and often never needs treatment or three montly single zoladex injections, most people will die of other causes long before prostate cancer kills them, surgery is notoriously full of complications leading to incontinence and impotence

pancreatic cancer - uncommon, it has vanishingly small numbers of survivors and those that are diagnosed quickly die, 1 in 10 have a chance of surgical cure, otherwise it is a rampant cancer and death is certain within a few months of diagnosis, [ironically their campaign, although in poor taste, certainly raised the profile of pancreatic cancer !]

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 23

StretfordEnd

Original post by Mackay

Aren't like 1 in 3 women meant to get it in their lifetime?

It's a big deal. I'm all for raising awareness.

1/3 of all people will get some kind of cancer.

The incidence rate of breast cancer in women certainly isn't 33%

Reply 24

KingBradly

Because its the most common form of cancer, and it affects people of all ages.

/thread.

Reply 25

Mackay

Original post by StretfordEnd

1/3 of all people will get some kind of cancer.

The incidence rate of breast cancer in women certainly isn't 33%

I knew that figure must have been wrong. I kind of plucked it from my head anyway.

Reply 26

CraigKirk

Original post by StretfordEnd

1/3 of all people will get some kind of cancer.

The incidence rate of breast cancer in women certainly isn't 33%

Original post by Mackay

I knew that figure must have been wrong. I kind of plucked it from my head anyway.

Maybe you got it confused with the fact that, of all women who suffer from cancer, almost 1/3 cases are breast cancer.

Reply 27

la95

I think breast cancer campaigns could be potentially harmful as I don't believe I've ever seen one that acknowledges the fact that men can also get breast cancer. Although the proportion of female breast cancer sufferers is significantly higher than the proportion of male breast cancer sufferers, I think it's important to avoid breeding a culture of ignorance where this issue is concerned.