Gender Discrimination in Government Funding for Cancer Research

[Alram]

I came across this article and found it interesting. I thought that it might generate some thought provoking comments.

Government's Huge Cancer Funding Gender Gap

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that they will spend $4,446,000,000 in 2009 for female-specific cancers (breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and “women’s health”) and $299,000,000 for men’s cancer (prostate cancer), which is a ratio of almost 15:1 in favor of women (see chart below). For spending in 2009 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cancer Programs, the gap is even greater: they will spend $218 million on female-specific cancers (breast, cervical, ovarian and gynecologic cancer) and $13.245 million on prostate cancer, which is a ratio of 16.5 to 1 in favor of women

If you look at the article, make sure you read the comments posted below it; they also contain some interesting information.

Read more here

[Lissa]

I came across this article and found it interesting. I thought that it might generate some thought provoking comments.

Government's Huge Cancer Funding Gender Gap

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate that they will spend $4,446,000,000 in 2009 for female-specific cancers (breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and “women’s health”) and $299,000,000 for men’s cancer (prostate cancer), which is a ratio of almost 15:1 in favor of women (see chart below). For spending in 2009 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cancer Programs, the gap is even greater: they will spend $218 million on female-specific cancers (breast, cervical, ovarian and gynecologic cancer) and $13.245 million on prostate cancer, which is a ratio of 16.5 to 1 in favor of women

If you look at the article, make sure you read the comments posted below it; they also contain some interesting information.

Read more here

While the number of deaths isn't 15 to 1, Women due die about 2.25 times more due to cancers they get involving reproductive organs and breast. Take a look at the following:

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cance...s-2017.pdf

In one of the tables it breaks down deaths by cancer types and about 72000 women die to cancer each year that is of the breast, cervix, and ovarian types. For men, it is about 28000 for breast and prostate (yes, men *CAN* get breast cancer, and every man should check themselves as well).

If you actually break things down, for breast cancer, about 10 women die to it to every man does. Likewise, if you look at the difference between Ovarian Cancer and Testicular cancer, again, it's about 30 women to every man.

The other thing have to wonder is how many men that are dying to prostate cancer don't get checked until it's too late as well.

Likewise, with women, the number dying to ovarian and cervix cancer has been dropping because of the HPV vaccine which more and more girls and young women are getting.

Another aspect to look at is that the budgets for cancer research aren't made the year they are spent, the budget is usually set a year or two before the money is actually allocated, so if you look at a couple more of the graphs, you'll note that certain cancers have been dropping over time, so the allocated budget may start to follow suit with said drop, so that's another thing to look at here.

[kandrathe]

While the number of deaths isn't 15 to 1, Women due die about 2.25 times more due to cancers they get involving reproductive organs and breast. Take a look at the following:

So I did.     It seems things are weighted against women from birth to 50, but from 50 to death men catch up and surpass women. Overall, more men get and probably die from cancer.

I’m not sure why you, or Alram, only looked at reproductive system cancers.

[Lissa]

While the number of deaths isn't 15 to 1, Women due die about 2.25 times more due to cancers they get involving reproductive organs and breast. Take a look at the following:

So I did. It seems things are weighted against women from birth to 50, but from 50 to death men catch up and surpass women. Overall, more men get and probably die from cancer.

I’m not sure why you, or Alram, only looked at reproductive system cancers.

I was responding specifically to Alarm's point, about the imbalance of moneys between the reproductive cancers, ie, cancers specific to men and women.

If you look at all other types of cancers, the only ones of difference between the sexes *ARE* the sex based cancers.

As to the 50+ conversation, the number of deaths due to cancer as life expectancy has increased have likewise increased. The longer you live, the more senescent cells you get which are likely the cells that cause cancers to form (a senescent cells is a cell that had divided so many times that the telomeres are gone and the cell automatically stops dividing, but it doesn't die off like it should). So in this case, you would expcet both men and women to roughly equal out.

[kandrathe]

I was responding specifically to Alarm's point, about the imbalance of moneys between the reproductive cancers, ie, cancers specific to men and women.

I figured that was the case. No drama.

As to the 50+ conversation, the number of deaths due to cancer as life expectancy has increased have likewise increased. The longer you live, the more senescent cells you get which are likely the cells that cause cancers to form (a senescent cells is a cell that had divided so many times that the telomeres are gone and the cell automatically stops dividing, but it doesn't die off like it should).

By definition, a senescent cell cannot spread cancer since it has become "immortal" until it dies by other causes. It will no longer divide, which is how cancer spreads. But, I read, "The robust secretion of these growth factors by senescent cells can stimulate and sustain the proliferation of nearby premalignant or malignant cells. ... Hence, the increased risk of incurring cancer with age could in part be a consequence of the increased number of SASP-expressing senescent cells during aging."

So in this case, you would expect both men and women to roughly equal out.

There is this whole Y chromosome thing that makes men quite different from women in many ways. The major difference being an endocrine system pumping us full of testosterone, as opposed to estrogen, and progesterone.
I don't feel it can be assumed disease expressions, or drug reactions would ever be equal between genders. They might, and they may not. I'd examine it with science.

Probably the bulk of disparity is due to the extraordinary success of the breast cancer awareness programs over the past few decades. It strikes earlier than others, can be difficult to identify early in soft tissues, and without early intervention is very lethal. Whereas, almost every white European male will get prostate cancer eventually, but it is often past 65 years old, slow growing and something else will kill them before the cancer metastases.

If you look at all other types of cancers, the only ones of difference between the sexes *ARE* the sex based cancers.

From examining the incidence rates, only Breast cancer is definitively female.

Soft tissue incl heart, Genital system, Endocrine, and Myeloma are marginally equally weighted. *All* others have more significance for men (>= 5%)



Oral cavity & pharynx - men 72%
Digestive system - men 58%
Respiratory system - men 55%
Bones & joints - men 57%
Soft tissue incl heart - men 53%
Skin - men 68%
Breast - women 98%
Genital system - women 53%
Urinary system - men 69%
Eyes - men 54%
Brain & nervous system - men 57%
Endocrine system - women 52%
Lymphoma - men 56%
Myeloma - men 52%
Leukemia - men 58%
Other - men 55%

Overall 2017 - Estimated Deaths by cancer
Men = 318,420 (53%) Women = 282, 500 (47%)

[Lissa]

From examining the incidence rates, only Breast cancer is definitively female.

Take another look at those statistics. Men get breast cancer about 1 per 100 wormen from the link I posted from Cancer.org.

Soft tissue incl heart

Fyi, Cancer of the Heart is extremely rare. Most times it shows up, it shows up in children and almost never in adults. When the heart is fully formed, the cells don't change much (they rarely divide upon reaching adulthood), thus there's a lower chance of malignancy.

Genital system, Endocrine, and Myeloma are marginally equally weighted. *All* others have more significance for men (>= 5%)



Oral cavity & pharynx - men 72%
Digestive system - men 58%
Respiratory system - men 55%
Bones & joints - men 57%
Soft tissue incl heart - men 53%
Skin - men 68%
Breast - women 98%
Genital system - women 53%
Urinary system - men 69%
Eyes - men 54%
Brain & nervous system - men 57%
Endocrine system - women 52%
Lymphoma - men 56%
Myeloma - men 52%
Leukemia - men 58%
Other - men 55%

Overall 2017 - Estimated Deaths by cancer
Men = 318,420 (53%) Women = 282, 500 (47%)

Thing I would want to know about is how many of the men vs. women didn't find out until it was too late (ie, didn't get regular health checkups).

[kandrathe]

From examining the incidence rates, only Breast cancer is definitively female.

Take another look at those statistics. Men get breast cancer about 1 per 100 wormen from the link I posted from Cancer.org.

1% or 2% men... Yes, it’s predominantly a female problem.

Soft tissue incl heart

Fyi, Cancer of the Heart is extremely rare. Most times it shows up, it shows up in children and almost never in adults. When the heart is fully formed, the cells don't change much (they rarely divide upon reaching adulthood), thus there's a lower chance of malignancy.

Yes... I was just being thorough... Eyes and ocular orbits... etc...

Genital system, Endocrine, and Myeloma are marginally equally weighted. *All* others have more significance for men (>= 5%)

Oral cavity & pharynx - men 72%
Digestive system - men 58%
Respiratory system - men 55%
Bones & joints - men 57%
Soft tissue incl heart - men 53%
Skin - men 68%
Breast - women 98%
Genital system - women 53%
Urinary system - men 69%
Eyes - men 54%
Brain & nervous system - men 57%
Endocrine system - women 52%
Lymphoma - men 56%
Myeloma - men 52%
Leukemia - men 58%
Other - men 55%

Overall 2017 - Estimated Deaths by cancer
Men = 318,420 (53%) Women = 282, 500 (47%)

Thing I would want to know about is how many of the men vs. women didn't find out until it was too late (ie, didn't get regular health checkups).

I see where you are going, but let me cut you off...

All Cancers Combined, Men

• In 2014, incidence rates were highest among black men (504.1), followed by white (468.0), Hispanic* (357.5), American Indian/Alaska Native (289.8), and Asian/Pacific Islander (277.5) men.
  
• In 2014, death rates were highest among black men (234.1), followed by white (193.6), Hispanic* (137.7), American Indian/Alaska Native (132.1), and Asian/Pacific Islander (116.9) men.

All Cancers Combined, Women

• In 2014, incidence rates were highest among white women (418.8), followed by black (390.7), Hispanic* (327.2), Asian/Pacific Islander (281.9), and American Indian/Alaska Native (264.6) women.
  
• In 2014, death rates were highest among black women (157.0), followed by white (138.6), Hispanic* (96.0), American Indian/Alaska Native (89.1), and Asian/Pacific Islander (86.2) women.

Some cancer is easier to test for, or palpate. Lung cancer is particularly difficult to catch early. Prostate and breast cancer can be screened early (perhaps is even over screened). Which is why we need funds for research into other cancers for developing tests and treatments.

Then... yadda yadda... correlation ... causation ...

American Indian women are two times better at preventing cancer than black men. It’s more than an early detection issue. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topic...pic/cancer