Why is it that breast cancer is the most popular cancer to support?

[Jamar]

Don't get me wrong, I know it's bad. But on Facebook I just want to find a general cancer awareness page to like but all I can find is breast cancer. And no offense but it's just a tiny bit annoying lol. So why, is it because they do a lot of advertising and have a breast cancer month? They should have a general cancer awareness month because all cancers are bad, not just breast cancer.

[MissA]

Breast cancer gets a lot of support because it's really common (unlike, say, pediatric brain cancer) and if you live long enough you are likely to have it influence you in a personal way, because it's not usually caused by anything naughty that the patient did (like lung cancer), and because it's not embarrassing for people to discuss (rectal cancer ahoy!).

But mostly breast cancer is famous because of the Susan G Komen foundation. You can say a lot of bad stuff about them (much of which is true) but dang if they aren't good at raising awareness.

They have separate months because really they are all completely separate diseases. Cancer's kind of an overarching term. But here's a list of the big ones

[Warren]

You are spot on with this question! Why is breast cancer research funding in this country over twice that for prostate cancer, even though prostate cancer affects more men than breast cancer does women? I don't have the numbers, but it is obvious that the media devote hugely more air time to promoting breast cancer awareness than they do prostate cancer? Seems totally sexist to me!