Going Pink For October

Matthew Oliphant is inviting anyone and everyone to turn their Web sites pink during October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Nearly 150 sites have done so as of this writing. And by the way, guys can get breast cancer too.

Comments

Strangely unfamous cancer

[Henry V .009]

What color do I make my website for prostate cancer?

Re:Strangely unfamous cancer

[Anonymous Coward]

I always make that point too. Prostate cancer is as prevalent in males as breast cancer is in females, and kills about the same number of people too.
But for some reason there isn't the same concern for it.

What is really disappointing is that some women criticise men for not caring about breast cancer, but seem completely unconcerned themselves about one of the most common cancers for men.

As with most things gender-related, it shouldn't be a case of competition, but it is for the simple fact that there is an overwhelming lack of effort out there on the part of men's health issues.

Re:Strangely unfamous cancer

[t-twisted]

I have mod points but I can't let this pass:

The only reason breast cancer awareness is so high is because women, WOMEN, organized themselves and brought both the public and government's attention to it. This was more a grass-roots effort that became a force to be reckoned with than a "oh, never mind the men, we women are more important!" action. Breast cancer was thought to be treatable and curable through early detection and women set out to prove it through these campaigns, rather than continue the barbaric treatment of lopping off their breasts and blasting them with chemotherapy to treat any and all signs of cancer.

Yes, prostate cancer is high among men, it's the second leading cancer for men. For every 3 men who die of prostate cancer, 4 women die of breast cancer, so it's almost, but not quite, equal. What makes it more unequal is 70% of all prostate cancer cases occur in men 65 years or older in age. Compare that to 50% of all cases of breast cancer cases occur in women 61 years or older in age. In addition, prostate cancer can be so slow-growing as to be a non-issue in men - they frequently die of causes OTHER than prostate cancer due to age.

I think it's misguided to be "bitter" that one group garners more attention than the other, when one group isn't doing as much as the other to bring attention, publicity and resources to their cause. You're right, this isn't about a competition, this about who is doing what for their "own". And don't think men do not benefit from the publicity and research generated from these campaigns, as men can get breast cancer, too.

However, I can't even believe you went there with your "overwhelming lack of effort out there on the part of men's health". Please. Do you know how differently signs of a heart attack present themselves in women than men? Yet the rhetoric (tingling in left arm, shortness of breath, etc) is always about signs of impending heart problem in a man, not a woman, yet heart disease is the #1 killer of women, too.

Don't be upset because a group of people got organized. Organize yourself and get out there.

T.

Re:Strangely unfamous cancer

[mordors9]

You are certainly correct about women organizing and making breast cancer more of a cause celebre than prostate cancer or for that matter lung cancer or heart disease. And I agree it shouldn't be an us against them situation. Unfortunately the competition for research dollars does seem to be a zero sum game. It also reminds me of the outrage that arose a few decades ago when women's groups raised the awareness of the American public that little girl's weren't being treated fairly in the schools. Now girls are graduating high school and going to college at a much higher rate than boys. There seems to be very little concern about that either.

Re:OMG Ponies!!!

[nacturation]

Leave it to the 90% male Slashdot audience to laugh at something like breast cancer.

And when there's a story about prostate cancer, this same 90% male audience will be joking around about that too. Get over yourself.

This is dumb.

[prescor]

I'm a guy who three years ago had a lump-ectomy. (Mammograms are NOT fun, y'all. The girls can KEEP 'em!) Fortunately, it was benign.

That said, "pink sites" is a dumb idea. Or sites of any OTHER color to support a cause. Still, I support freedom of speech and all that. Anyone who wants their site pink because of breast cancer or panther fetishes or whatever, well, more power to 'em.

I still think it's stupid.

Re:"Awareness"?

[davidc]

Awareness might make the difference between a woman having a mammogram, or not.

Let's not be ignorant about this: screening and early detection can make a huge difference in breast cancer (others, too!). I just don't agree that awareness makes people think they are safe. And, yes, something is being done about the problem, starting with screening.

Every bit of publicity helps. Please don't belittle educational programs. Grass-roots education for regular screening arguably helps as much as the latest whiz-bang chemotherapeutic agent. If you catch it early, you markedly improve survival rates.

Just another..

[kbox]

....Temporarily pretend you give a shit about something month/week/day.

Re:OMG Ponies!!!

[Simon Garlick]

breast cancer is bad.
Noone is immune, it knows no boundaries, rich and poor, famous or not it could hit.


And more people die of prostate cancer than of breast cancer. Yet, strangely, I see no huge PR campaign against it. I guess breasts are more trendy.