Did you know that different colored ribbons represent different cancers?
Wearing a certain colored ribbon on a specific day, week or month is simply a way to show your support towards people who suffer from a certain type of cancer. It is a method to spread awareness as well as send a solidarity message to the community without having to say a word. In order to do so, you have to first get to know which colors represent what type of cancers. Here is the ultimate guide for you. Happy National Cancer Survivors Day 2021!
1.Head and Neck Cancer
Head and neck cancers include cancers that affect lips, mouth, palate, nose, pharynx, larynx, and ears. The contributory causes of this type of cancer are smoking, alcohol intake, betelnut chewing, gambier, poor oral hygiene, and viral infection.
2. Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the blood plasma cells. According to the International Myeloma Foundation, this cancer is the second most common type of blood cancer. However, it is still relatively rare and many people may not come across this. Hence, March is assigned as Myeloma Awareness Month to raise awareness and help raise money for those who are suffering from this.
3. Leukemia
Leukemia is a type of blood cancer that usually begins in the bone marrow. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society found out that the 5-year survival rate for leukemia has more than quadrupled since 1960, most likely due to increased awareness (from the campaigns organized by this association) as well as advances in medication.
4. Kidney Cancer
Kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers. It is more common in older people and generally affects men (2.02%) more than women (1.03%). Although it is impossible to avoid all cases of kidney cancer, prevention can still be made by weight reduction and smoking cessation. Early detection may improve the prognosis. Watch out for symptoms such as blood in the urine, an abdominal mass, and pain in the back or flank area.
5. Breast Cancer
As most of you probably already knew, the most commonly seen cancer ribbon is the pink ribbon which represents breast cancer. Researchers and organizations use or wear pink during the numerous campaigns held in October to highlight their stand against breast cancer. This cancer is the leading cause of death among women in Malaysia. The percentage of breast cancer patients is 31% as compared to other cancers. About 1 in 20 women are at risk for this cancer. Men are not an exception but only 1% of them might get this cancer.
6. Endometrial Cancer
Endometrial cancer most commonly affects women after menopause with an average age of diagnosis at 60. September is set as Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month. Many organizations would come together to raise funds for those in need of treatment and support after the diagnosis.
7. Appendix Cancer
Appendix cancer is extremely rare, with only one diagnosis per 500,000 people worldwide each year. The most commonly affected age groups include the 40s and 50s. It affects men and women equally. To date, there is no specific awareness month for this cancer.
8. Childhood Cancer
In the U.S, nearly 16,000 people below the age of 21 years old are diagnosed with cancer each year. About 1 in 4 of them will not survive. Based on the statistics done by the National Cancer Institute, the most common types of childhood cancer are acute lymphocytic leukemia, neuroblastoma, and brain/other nervous system tumors.
9. Bone/ Sarcoma Cancer
Sarcoma, or more commonly known as bone cancer, can affect more than just the bones. In fact, it can affect any type of connective tissue in the body including muscles, deep skin tissues, and cartilage. About 20% of childhood cancers are sarcomas.
10. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer affecting the lymphatic system. It was noted that about 85% of the cases start in B lymphocytes, which function to produce antibodies used in fighting infection. Lymphoma and leukemia are two different forms of blood-related cancers but are commonly grouped together as they both affect the blood.
11. Liver Cancer
Liver cancer is an aggressive form of cancer that affects nearly twice as many men as women. The five-year survival rate for this cancer is just 17.5%. Hence, early detection is really important. Prevention measures such as smoking cessation, reduction of alcohol intake, and liver tonic supplementation should be taken.
12. Ovarian Cancer
Based on the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women aged 35-74. Researchers estimate 1 in 75 women will experience ovarian cancer during their lifetimes. While this cancer has over a 90% five-year survival rate with early detection, only 20% of the cases are diagnosed in the earliest stages.
13. Cervical Cancer
Nowadays, more people are surviving cervical cancer due to early preventive screenings. The Foundation for Women’s Cancer states that the death rate is reduced by more than 70% with regular tests like Pap smear. Women are at risk due to the sexually transmitted virus called human papillomavirus (HPV).
14. Prostate Cancer
In the U.S, prostate cancer was found to be the second most common cancer in men. 1 in 9 men is diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. When detected early, the disease is completely treatable, and serious complications can be avoided. As the risk of this cancer increases significantly with age, it is important for men to have regular check-ups, beginning in middle age.
15. Colon Cancer
Colon cancer affects the large intestine. Usually, people with irritable bowel diseases such as Crohn’s or colitis will be more likely to develop this type of cancer. According to the Colon Cancer Alliance, the risk of getting this cancer is 1 in 20. Doctors screen for colon cancer by looking for polyps in the colon and rectum. Like most other cancers, early detection could make a huge difference in survival rate (up to 90%). However, if diagnosed at a later stage when cancer has been widespread, the five-year survival rate drops to 12%.
16. Stomach Cancer
Despite stomach cancer being the third leading cause of cancer deaths globally, it still receives little attention from the public. This cancer affects the cells in the lining of the stomach and is the fifth most common form of cancer worldwide. There are approximately 1 million new cases diagnosed each year across the globe.
17. Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer is the most widespread cancer among males of age 15-44. Promoting early detection and regular self-examination is crucial, especially due to the fact that younger men are rarely concerned about developing cancer.
18. Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a deadly form of cancer as it is difficult to diagnose in the early stages due to no preventive screening tests available. The disease has a one-year survival rate of 28% and a five-year survival rate of 7%, according to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation.
19. Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a form of cancer affecting the lymphatic system, which is a part of our immune systems. It is less common than non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. According to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, this cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer.
20. Skin Cancer
In the U.S., skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. Every hour, one person in America dies from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
21. Carcinoid Cancer
Carcinoid cancer is one of the least known cancer types. This type of cancer is slow-growing. They generally begin in the endocrine system and commonly appearing in the small intestines and bronchial system in the lungs. These tumors can be fatal but people with this cancer may typically live for many years due to their slow-growing nature.
22. Brain Cancer
The ribbon for brain cancer is grey as it is said to represent the ‘grey matter’, which makes up 40% of the brain. This region contains most of the neuronal cell bodies and serves to process information in the brain. The National Brain Tumour Society estimates approximately 688,000 people in the U.S. have brain tumors. Some tumors are cancerous and some are not. However, all of them cause negative impact on the lives of people are suffering from this cancer.
23. Lung Cancer
Most of us might think of lung cancer as a disease that only affects tobacco smokers but it can actually affect anyone! Lung cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer deaths, responsible for about 27% of all cancer deaths. It is also the deadliest form of cancer among both men and women.
24. Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer among men. Men are more likely to develop this compared to women. As with most other types of cancer, the risk of bladder cancer increases as we age. According to the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network, smokers are twice more likely to develop this than non-smokers.
25. Thyroid Cancer
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck. Thyroid cancer is relatively common. It accounts for about 56,870 new cases diagnosed each year in the U.S.
26. Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal cancer is more common among men than women. In the U.S., around 16,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.
27. Gallbladder Cancer
Gallbladder cancer is not usually detected until it reaches advanced stages. Only about 1 in 5 cases are found in the early stages. As with other types of cancer, the survival rate depends on when the cancer is diagnosed.
28. Leiomyosarcoma
Leiomyosarcoma is a rare type of cancer affecting soft tissues of the smooth muscle cells. This cancer involves the uterus, small intestines, stomach, and abdomen. Treatment for this cancer is difficult as the tumors could be aggressive and irregular.
Prepared by: Chew Ee Wei, a HTM Pharmacist.
For further inquiry/ one-to-one consultation with our pharmacist, feel free to whatsapp📱
Pharmacist service is available from Monday to Friday (9am-6pm).