Truth #23: Your tax dollars fund a significant amount of breast cancer research.

TRUE. The federal government funds a significant portion of research for many types of cancer.

In 1992, NBCC launched its 300 Million More campaign to increase federal funding for breast cancer. It was a success, and in 1993 federal appropriations for breast cancer research rose to more than $400 million. The National Cancer Institute funding went from $100 million to $225 million, and $210 million of defense funding went to begin the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program (DOD BCRP), all due to NBCC’s campaign.

What is the Department of Defense doing funding breast cancer research? Learn more about the program's creation, unique features and demonstrated success. In response to NBCC’s advocacy, Congress has approved over $2 billion in funding since the program began in 1993.

In addition, the National Institutes of Health has provided significant funding for breast cancer research for decades. Since 2001, NIH has spent roughly a half-billion dollars each year on breast cancer research.

 
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Read more about the DOD BCRP and how your tax dollars make a difference in funding quality research. Then, join NBCC’s National Action Network to add your voice to those who push Congress each year to ensure that breast cancer research funding continues.

 

31 Myths and Truths about Breast Cancer

1
Myth #1: Monthly breast self exams save lives
2
Myth #2: Mammograms can only help and not harm you
3
Myth #3: MRI is better than mammography because it finds more cancer
4
Truth #4: When breast cancer shows up on a mammogram, it may have been in your body for 6-10 years
5
Truth #5: Breast cancer mortality rates are declining
6
Myth #6: Mammograms prevent breast cancer
7
Truth #7: We don’t know how to prevent breast cancer
8
Myth #8: Most women with breast cancer have a family history of the disease
9
Myth #9: Men don’t get breast cancer
10
Truth #10: Risk of breast cancer increases with age
11
Truth #11: Most people think they have a higher risk of breast cancer than they actually do
12
Myth #12: Everyone's breast cancer is the same
13
Myth #13: Everyone who has a positive BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 test result will get breast cancer
14
Truth #14: The mortality rate from breast cancer is higher for African American women than for Caucasian women
15
Myth #15: In terms of survival, removing the entire breast is better than just cutting the cancer out and getting radiation
16
Myth #16: There are drugs that can prevent breast cancer
17
Myth #17: Once diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s very important to make treatment decisions immediately
18
Myth #18: Second opinions are only for treatment options. Once I know I have breast cancer, I can get a second opinion on how to treat the disease
19
Truth #19: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increases your risk of breast cancer
20
Myth #20: With new treatments we can now cure breast cancer
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Truth #21: You should question your doctor
22
Myth #22: If I am not a scientist, then I won’t be able to understand breast cancer research
23
Truth #23: Your tax dollars fund a significant amount of breast cancer research
24
Myth #24: My Senators and Members of Congress have no role in what happens in breast cancer
25
Myth #25: The media accurately reports breast cancer science
26
Myth #26: All breast cancer research is good because it moves us toward prevention and a cure
27
Myth #27: Breast cancer survivors are too close to the issue to participate in how research money is spent
28
Truth #28: Less than 3% of adult cancer patients participate in clinical trials
29
Truth #29: I can educate myself
30
Truth #30: I can influence what happens in Washington D.C. about breast cancer
31
Truth #31: I can make a difference