Cancer Support & Coping Cancer Ribbon Colors, Meanings, and Months Showing Support and Raising Awareness By Lynne Eldridge, MD Lynne Eldridge, MD Facebook Lynne Eldrige, MD, is a lung cancer physician, patient advocate, and award-winning author of "Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time." Learn about our editorial process Updated on August 09, 2022 Medically reviewed by Douglas A. Nelson, MD Medically reviewed by Douglas A. Nelson, MD LinkedIn Douglas A. Nelson, MD, is a board-certified oncologist and hematologist who previously served for 13 years as a physician in the US Air Force. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Cancer ribbons are used to raise awareness about specific cancers (or even all cancers) and show support for those facing them. There are more than 50 cancer ribbons that represent individual cancers and other related issues, like cancer caregivers and bone marrow transplants. Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin Some well-known cancer ribbons include the pink ribbon for breast cancer and the purple ribbon for pancreatic cancer. This article lists cancer ribbon colors, the cancers they are meant to represent, and associated awareness months. Cancer Ribbon Colors and Meanings Cancer Ribbon Awareness Month Appendix cancer Amber Bladder cancer Yellow, purple, and navy blue May Bone cancer Yellow July Bone marrow transplant Green Brain cancer Gray May Breast cancer Pink Breast cancer (inflammatory) Hot pink Breast cancer (hereditary) Teal and pink Breast cancer with gynecologic cancers Teal and pink Breast cancer (metastatic) Teal, pink, and green Breast cancer (in men) Pink and blue October Cancer survivor Lavender June Carcinoid syndrome Black and white zebra stripes November Caregiver Purple November Cervical cancer Teal and white January Childhood cancer Gold September Colon cancer Dark blue March Colorectal cancer Dark blue March Endometrial cancer Peach Esophageal cancer Light purple/periwinkle April Ewing's sarcoma Yellow July Gallbladder/bile duct cancer Green February Gastric (stomach) cancer Periwinkle blue November Glioblastoma Gray Gynecological cancer Purple September Head and neck cancer Burgundy and ivory, or red and white April Hodgkin lymphoma Violet September Kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) Green or orange March Laryngeal cancer Burgundy and white Leiomyosarcoma Purple July Leukemia Orange September Liver cancer Emerald or jade green October Lung cancer Pearl, clear, or white November Lymphedema Light blue Lymphoma (non-Hodgkin) Lime green September Melanoma Black May Mesothelioma Pearl Myeloma Burgundy March Myeloproliferative diseases Orange and red Neuroendocrine cancers Black and white zebra-stripes November Oral cancer Burgundy and white April Osteosarcoma Yellow July Ovarian cancer Teal September Pancreatic cancer Purple November Pharyngeal cancer Burgundy and white April Prostate cancer Light blue September Rectal cancer Blue March Retinoblastoma White Sarcoma Yellow July Skin cancer Black May Skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) Red and white May Small intestine cancer Periwinkle blue Testicular cancer Purple (orchid) April Throat cancer Burgundy and white Thyroid cancer Blue, pink, and teal September Uterine cancer Peach September Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia Pearl Ribbons for All Cancers A light purple or lavender ribbon is used to represent esophageal cancer and cancer survivors, as noted above, but it is also often used to represent cancers as a whole. Sometimes, many different ribbons are combined together to represent all cancers. Zebra-Print Ribbons Uncommon or rare cancers may be represented by a black-and-white zebra print ribbon. The choice of the zebra print comes from a common saying in medicine: When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don't expect to see a zebra. In other words, the most likely diagnosis is usually the right one. However, that is not always the case. The zebra print ribbon is meant to draw attention to the fact that something that appears to be one thing could very well be something far less likely. "Zebra" cancers are rare. But when you add occurrences of all of them together, they are actually quite common. Cancer Ribbon Differences It's important to note that a specific cancer may be represented by more than one ribbon color and that this can vary depending on where you live. Some ribbon colors also represent specific nonprofit groups who advocate for a particular type of cancer. For example, a white or pearl ribbon is used to represent lung cancer, but turquoise is the color of an American Lung Association initiative. A Word From Verywell If you or a loved one has cancer, or you simply want to raise awareness for cancer (or all cancers), wearing a colored ribbon can be your first step. Your support for cancer education and compassion will not go unnoticed. Frequently Asked Questions When is cancer awareness month? Each type of cancer has a certain month dedicated to raising awareness of it. For example, breast cancer awareness month is in October. What color is the ribbon for lung cancer? The ribbon for lung cancer is pearl, clear, or white. You may see people wearing this ribbon in November, the cause's awareness month. What does the black ribbon mean for cancer? A black ribbon is used to signify melanoma and skin cancer. However, ribbons that are black and white (zebra print) represent uncommon or rare diseases and cancers. 1 Source Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Association for Cancer Research. Cancer awareness months. Additional Reading Choose Hope. Cancer Color or Type. Choose Hope. Calendar of Cancer Awareness Months. By Lynne Eldridge, MD Lynne Eldrige, MD, is a lung cancer physician, patient advocate, and award-winning author of "Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time." See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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