Some Cancers are more “fashionable” than others

[Mittens67]

Society consistently appalls me but one of the most depressing things I have come across is how some cancers receive more media coverage than others and so get more donations and better charitable funding. For all I know this also affects nhs funding too because the wealthier charities can afford lobbyists to drive political decisions and policy.
Even the bloody coloured ribbons are divisive. Breast cancer gets pretty pink whilst melanoma gets dull black for christs sake. Who wants to wear black to promote cancer?
Pancreatic cancer which is very challenging to treat gets very little coverage compared to breast cancer or testicular cancer. Are balls and boobs more promotable because both are important to men and as we all know what matters to men is still what drives the world.
Cancer is shite and any help is of course welcome but this popularity contest disgusts me.

I think cancer in all its forms gains more support for it's sufferers and more research money than other life limiting/shortening diseases and conditions.

When my late DH was diagnosed at stage 4, we got a huge amount of support and help, outside of his actual treatment, compared to those suffering and dying from other conditions. There are numerous charities supporting those with cancer and their families, and as a pp said, people have a gut sympathetic and caring reaction to their friends or relatives having cancer, which I suspect is less visceral and less supportive to those with other diamond it life threatening conditions.

None of this helped my husband survive a terminal prognosis, of course. But it did give us a safety net and moral support through it all, via Macmillan, Marie Curie, and the hospice at home. That wouldn't have been available to us as a family, had he been dying it something else.

While there's not enough money to go round in the NHS, research and the charitable sector, there will always be unequal access to the pot.

It’s a really interesting thread and point. There is no doubt at all that cancer gets a huge amount of research funding and public attention compared to other conditions. But, there has to be hope that some of the advances in cancer can spill out into other areas of medicine or at least across cancer types

Some of the advances on the horizon are incredible and even in the last decade, people are surviving that wouldn’t have done 30 years ago. You are now starting to see debates in medicine about whether cancer should be treated as long term condition and lots of questions about how people who have had cancer should be monitored, how they might be affected by other conditions etc. Obviously there are still many people who are deeply unfortunate whose are diagnosed too late or have very aggressive cancers.

It means a lot that you recognise this despite you and your partner having been beneficiaries of it. I am so sorry for your loss.

I lost a relative to MND and it was heartbreaking how little support there was, how little understanding even. We did our best as a family but it felt like a lonely time for everyone

That doesn't mean it's necessarily their lifestyle. It could be something environmental. I know really healthy people who have had bowel cancer (or Crohn's etc which increase the risk of it)

Think about microplastics and other pollutants. Plus nuclear incidents etc.

It feels scary to realise we are exposed to all kinds of things we can't control but its the reality

These things are amazing for cancer patients. But I was on treatment that caused me to lose huge chunks of my hair in my mid thirties (immune suppressants) and also made me very large, and there is no equivalent service for people with other conditions. If I had time or money I would try and start one.

I do think this is a fair point.

My son's cancer caused a bowel blockage which caused septic shock and him needing 5 bowel surgeries so as well as the oncology ward, he also spent time in PICU and a surgical ward. The difference between support on the oncology ward vs PICU and the surgical ward was crazy, as well as how much more funding from charities the oncology ward got compared to the other wards which meant the oncology ward was much more spacious and comfortable for children and the parents. Keep in mind that PICU includes the sickest children in the hospital often on life support.

I feel it's the cancers with a simpler pathway to diagnosis that are talked about.

The complex ones that take multiple tests, lots of complex symptoms are harder to check and detect so not so much noise about them.

I keep mulling over trying to start up some charity /campaign to support people with severe chronic or terminal conditions other than cancer, to provide some or the more holistic comforts (advice and support re changes in appearance/well being careful ) etc that often only seem to be available to cancer patients (for avoidance of doubt, I am not begrudging them any of that support, just wish others could receive it when needed too)

If anyone has relevant skills/experience/a similar wish to drive something like this forward please PM me

I think the issue is awareness raising so that you can get early diagnosis. And early diagnosis tools. Cancer is rising among young people. I know someone who died of pancreatic cancer in their 40s. I also know, 2 people with stage 4 cancer, and 1 person who was treated for cancer. All in their 40s in my friendship group.

The funding - more common cancers will attract more funding. However this can help other illnesses as they find drugs that can be repurposed as 'orphan drugs' and tested to treat other conditions. I take one such drug for a rare condition. Because my condition isn't classed as cancer as it doesn't metastatise, it probably gets less exposure. Yet I still have a rogue type of cell growing in one of my organs though that are systematically destroying it much like cancer. However (touch wood) the drug is controlling it for which I am very grateful. 10-15 years ago it would be a different story, and in 10-15 years time there will be more treatments, but always sadly not in time to help some people.

The other thing that exists are lots of support groups for different types of illnesses, I'm in one and I feel much less alone because of it.

I'd hate to feel I'd got the wrong type of illness- it's not really like that, I'm just grateful that there is any treatment at all. It's often much worse for the family and friends (and worrying about the family and friends). There's isn't much I can do, apart from the basics of trying to cope and be healthy, and nothing I could have done to prevent it.

I'm glad you feel that way but that doesn't negate others wishing there was more support

Agree re support groups for the specific condition being very useful.

But through my friend, who I support a lot, I know there are a lot of people who are bed bound or house bound by their conditions, or in constant pain, or who no longer recognise their reflections due to the impact of medication (eg steroids weight gain), hair loss. Or who have lost their job, their hobbies or their friends (or all of these) due to the impact of illness. Or are dealing with all these things at once.

I think there definitely needs to be support for people with chronic conditions. I am in a group for my condition but there is only 2500 of us worldwide and 10% of those in the UK. I don't know how it would work - conditions have lots of different effects and nuances, but there's so much I've had to think about - what do I do work wise, do I bother saving a pension, should I try and travel more now, do I carry on as normal, how do I make and sustain positive lifestyle changes, how do I stay happy etc. I've only ever been offered 6 weeks of CBT by my GP for my condition, but family members of people with cancer can access counselling through Macmillan. There's also little to no funding for adaptations, just a simple thing of getting a dishwasher has made a huge difference to me but I couldn't afford one for years. There is some support from the NHS with travel costs for appointments for those on low incomes, I didn't even know this was a thing for years. Be great to connect although I don't have any capacity to help atm. I work in the charity sector as a fundraiser so it's a particular interest.

For me, it would be even simple things. Like the make up classes and other well being initiatives.

But in an ideal world would include things like the Maggie's centres, Macmillan type nurses etc and support for partners /relatives /children too

And yes, help and support with

I know there are lots of condition specific groups but the depression and isolation and loss is often quite similar across a broad range of conditions. My friend has linked up with people with ME/sjogrens/endometriosis/lupus etc and there are a lot of commonalities in what they go through emotionally

Totally get most people struggling don't have the health/capacity to set this up. And they shouldn't feel bad. I have some legal knowledge of charities but lack any marketing /fundraising/ etc etc skills so if anyone sees this and is keen I am sure we could give something a try

True. Cancer funding is very uneven.

The ones with good survival rates get more publicity as they have survivors to raise awareness.

Eh breast, bowel, prostrate, cervical.

But awful ones like Pancreatic where most die within a few weeks get almost no funding.

Don't assume all breast cancer research etc is well funded - I have lobular BC (15% of all breast cancers) and it's been shocking to me how the medical profession treat it like ductal BC (70% of all breast cancers) when it presents completely differently (often no lump, 1 in 2 don't show up on mammograms, like mine didn't and guess what my onward scanning option is? Mammogram. So i'll be putting the MRI I'll pay for privately on my 0% credit card and pay it off all year then). It's under-researched with treatment targeted to a different type of breast cancer. But as soon as I say I was diagnosed with BC, people say oh so much research, so treatable.

The frustrating thing about this is pancreatic cancer survival is doable. I'm living proof and know plenty of others, too. Treatment is gruelling but again, doable. Surgery is HUGE, I can't mince my words on that, but doable.

It's the delayed diagnosis that makes it so fatal in most cases.

Thought I’d reactivate this thread to show data I saw just now - childhood cancer treatments really are very good. More to do of course, always, particularly with brain cancers