The month of October is always awash in pink to support prevention and research for breast cancer. Ribbons can be found in almost every product line at almost every store, from shower gel to stationary, and from tattoos to men’s running shoes.

But sometimes the thought comes to mind: where does all the money go that we contribute to breast cancer?

The breast cancer business brings in nearly $6 billion each year and is one of the most popular fundraisers because the disease touches so many Americans – nearly one in eight women, or 12 percent, will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.

In North Carolina, the mortality rate for breast cancer is about 24 percent. According to a report from the National Breast Cancer Coalition, nearly 290,000 women ...