Why does prostate cancer only get 2-5% of funding breast cancer gets?

So very true!! Add the almost TOTAL lack of publicity on same. Where are the spots urging regular PSA testing on TV? Should be a part of any high school health class. So now all we get are some Dr. in a lab coat (quack really) pushing some pills for enlarged prostate. Any mention of PC ? or the importance of regular PSA tests. dream on. Just Larry King parroting the quack with some mink beauty looking SO concerned. Rediculous at the very least!

| I am bombarded every night on TV or radio about ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and other women's cancers and I have never seen a prostate cancer commercial. |

I don't know about this. I've stopped watching commercial TV because I will finally have calmed down from thinking about prostate cancer and then there's a commercial for Zytiga or Nubeqa or Pluvicto and my anxiety goes through the roof again and my relaxing evening is ruined. Are there more commercials for breast cancer? I can't say since I'm not as attuned to it.

Doing a little research, prostate cancer get's 1/3 to 1/2 of the research dollars the breast cancer does, which is far more than 2% to 5%. It's still less. As far as cancer research goes, prostate cancer is pretty far down the list, money wise.

Interestingly, the cases of breast cancer versus prostate cancer in a given year are nearly equal, last year they were 236K prostate cancer and 272K breast cancer.

In researching why prostate cancer gets less funding:
“A lot of people believe prostate cancer is not cancer that patients die from, that people tend to outlive their prostate cancer,” says Dr. S. Adam Ramin, urologist and medical director of Urology Cancer Specialists in Los Angeles. “It is not necessarily true. If there is a cultural change in the attention given to prostate cancer and its complications, there would be more of an inclination to request funding and more pressure for the government to provide that funding.”

So the mindset that has to be cleared up is that prostate cancer is not nearly as deadly as breast cancer.

It might be more accurate to compare prostate cancer funding to genital cancers in women.

" In U.S. dollars per 100 incident cases, prostate cancer received an average of $1,821,000 per person-years of life lost, while ovarian cancer received $97,000, cervical cancer $87,000, and uterine cancer $57,000. Ovarian and cervical cancers had lower average Funding to Lethality scores compared to nine other cancers, while uterine cancer was lower than 13 other cancers (p< 0.01 for all comparisons). Analyses of eight-, five-, and three-year trends for gynecologic cancers showed nearly universal decreasing Funding to Lethality scores."

Pharmaceutical advertising isn't intended to advantage male or female. And doesn't.

There is a prevalent love of mothers and motherhood that could affect fundraising.

That's a fair point.

Not just America...

Cancer Type
Prostate (Male)
Annual Diagnoses ~4,000
Annual Deaths (approximate) ~700

Breast (Female)
Annual Diagnoses ~3,500
Annual Deaths (approximate) ~600-650

Breast cancer
National screening: New Zealand has a free, funded national breast cancer screening program.

Prostate cancer
National screening: There is no funded national prostate cancer screening program.

The Pink Ribbon Bag is a gift bag sent to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Filled with inspirational books, educational materials, and other comforting items, the bag is designed to bring hope to a woman as she begins her healing journey.

Gift bag for men with prostate cancer - empty

Interestingly, men can get breast cancer, too.
Peter Criss, for one.
But you never hear about that.

There's really no conspiracy against men here. Others have pointed out that the subject line is incorrect (it's more like 50%, not 2–5%).

In Canada, no one gets a gift bag at the cancer centre, but (as in New Zealand), our healthcare is free and universal: hundreds of thousands of dollars in free care during my 3½ month hospital stay and thousands/month in free cancer drugs are good enough for me. I'll stop at the dollar store and put together my own gift bag. 🙂

@mandymark,
men and women get breast cancer.
The care for prostate cancer is the best care I've seen for any disease.
It's criminal that PSA testing isn't firm standard care at least by 50 and past 80.
I would say the same for osteoporosis testing in women. Standard care should include testing at least by 50 and past 80.
I'd like to see more funding for prostate cancer research. https://zerocancer.org/take-action/advocate/policy-priorities/federal-research-funding-pcrp

@northoftheborder But, but, women get to ring the bell with celebrations after finishing infusions. Men, there's the bell if you want to ring it. See ya. I tried to take all my anger out on it with 2 rings. Techs were running for cover lol

@chippydoo Hahahaa!!!!! Thanks for the laugh amidst all this crazy snow in the northeast. Btw, I rang it too, but probably with less vigor. LOL