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National Prostate Cancer Coalition
Washington, DC

Grassroots
Cancer vs. Kosovo: Funding the Wars
by
Stephen Corman

In 1971, President Richard M. Nixon declared a "War on Cancer." In 1999, NATO declared war on Yugoslavia. For 1999, the federal government allocated about $3 billion to the National Cancer Institute for the war on cancer. On May 6, the House of Representatives approved $13.1 billion in "emergency funding" for the war in Yugoslavia. Cancer killed more than 560,000 Americans last year. Where is the "emergency funding" for this essential war?
    The National Cancer Institute estimates that the economic cost of cancer is more than $100 billion per year. In a business environment, it would be considered foolhardy to invest only $3 billion dollars a year in an attempt to reduce $100 billion dollars of annual expense.
    Breast cancer and prostate cancer are the two most frequently diagnosed cancers in the United States. How do they fare in government supported cancer research funding? In 1998 there were 184,500 new cases of breast cancer and 178,700 new cases of prostate cancer - almost identical. Deaths in 1998 were 43,500 for breast cancer and 39,200 for prostate cancer - within 10% of each other. However, funding for the National Cancer Institute was vastly different - $433 million for breast cancer compared to $114 million for prostate cancer.
    This works out to about $10,000 per breast cancer death but only $2,900 for each prostate cancer death - a difference of 71%. On a per patient basis, the disparity is even greater; breast cancer received $2,400 per newly diagnosed patient while prostate cancer received only $600. That's 75% less.
    Why the huge difference? Women involved in the breast cancer movement deserve much of the credit. For years they have worked tirelessly to increase awareness, not only on the part of the general public, but also on the part of our elected officials. Newly-diagnosed patients and survivors, along with their family and friends, are actively recruited not only to participate in awareness and fund raising activities, but also to telephone, fax, e-mail, and write their Congressional representatives.Their success is proof that political activism works.
    To that end, the National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) was formed in 1996. Its goal was to start a grassroots movement that would get men as involved in the fight for increased funding for prostate cancer research as women are for breast cancer. How successful has this been?
     In 1996 federal funding for prostate cancer research was $85 million. In 1998 it was $114 million. For fiscal year 1999, Congress authorized $170 million. These are great strides, but still a far cry from the $433 million for breast cancer research. And unfortunately, the $170 million is part of an Omnibus Budget Bill and not specifically earmarked.
    Men, you have not raised your voices loudly enough! You, your families, and your friends need to write to your elected officials to DEMAND that the $170 million authorized be specifically allocated to prostate cancer research funding. You need to convince Congress to make prostate cancer research as high a priority as breast cancer research. You need create more awareness about prostate cancer. In order to be as successful as the women, you need to get out and work as hard as they have.
    Congress will ask where the money will come from. The breast cancer movement may fear that this will impact their funding. There is no need to take money away from anyone. We need to increase spending for all cancer research. The NCI has requested that their annual budget be doubled over the next five years. We must find the money to do so. If the United States can afford to provide "emergency funding" for the war in Yugoslavia to the tune of $13 billion, how can we not provide a fraction of that for the war on cancer in an effort to save many of the 560,00 lives lost annually?
    Given the $100 billion in economic loss each year due to cancer, research funding should be viewed not as a COST, but rather as an INVESTMENT in the future, which in the long run is bound to save not only lives, but also money.
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Stephen Corman is a colon and prostate cancer survivor, a full-time activist, and a founding board member of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. He served as Connecticut co-chair for THE MARCH, a 1998 national campaign to increase research funding for ALL cancers. He is the webmaster of PCAN, the Prostate Cancer Action Network.

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