[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 48 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 48

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
 need for further studies and accurate guidelines regarding the use of 
mammograms and other technology to screen women between the ages of 40 
                       and 49 for breast cancer.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 1997

    Ms. Dunn (for herself, Mrs. Morella, Ms. Molinari, Mrs. Meek of 
    Florida, Mrs. Fowler, Ms. Rivers, Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas, Ms. 
 Christian-Green, Mrs. Carson, Mrs. Kelly, Mr. McCollum, Mr. Burton of 
Indiana, Mr. McDermott, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Foley, Mr. Frost, Ms. 
   Stabenow, Mr. Sessions, Ms. DeGette, Mr. King, Mrs. Emerson, Mr. 
 LoBiondo, Mr. Rothman, Mr. Martinez, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Granger, Mrs. 
Roukema, Ms. Pryce of Ohio, Mr. Nethercutt, and Mr. Ramstad) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
 need for further studies and accurate guidelines regarding the use of 
mammograms and other technology to screen women between the ages of 40 
                       and 49 for breast cancer.

Whereas the National Cancer Institute is the lead Federal agency for research on 
        the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer;
Whereas health professionals and consumers throughout the United States regard 
        the guidelines of the National Cancer Institute as reliable scientific 
        and medical advice;
Whereas it has been proven that routine screening for breast cancer using 
        mammograms can save the lives of women;
Whereas the National Cancer Institute issued a guideline in 1989 recommending 
        that women between the ages of 40 and 49 have mammograms, but rescinded 
        this guideline in 1993;
Whereas in 1993, it was difficult to have the same degree of scientific 
        confidence about the benefit of mammograms for women between the ages of 
        40 and 49 as existed for women between the ages of 50 and 69 due to 
        inherent limitations in the studies that had been conducted as of that 
        date;
Whereas in 1993, the American Cancer Society and 21 other national medical 
        organizations and health and consumer groups were at variance with the 
        decision of the National Cancer Institute to rescind the guidelines of 
        the Institute recommending that women between the ages of 40 and 49 have 
        mammograms;
Whereas the statement of scientific fact on breast cancer screening issued by 
        the National Cancer Institute on December 3, 1993, caused widespread 
        confusion and concern among women and physicians, eroded confidence in 
        mammograms, and reinforced barriers and negative attitudes that keep 
        women of all ages from having mammograms;
Whereas in 1995, investigators found a 24 percent lower death rate among women 
        who received mammograms when they were between the ages of 40 and 49 
        when the world's population-based trials were combined;
Whereas in 1996, Swedish researchers announced the results of 2 studies which 
        found that a 44 and 36 percent lower death rate among women who received 
        mammograms between the ages of 40 and 49;
Whereas a number of studies have shown that breast tumors in women under the age 
        of 50 may grow far more rapidly than breast tumors in older women, 
        suggesting that annual mammograms are of value to women between the ages 
        of 40 and 49;
Whereas on January 23, 1997, a panel convened by the National Institutes of 
        Health reviewed these and other compelling studies but decided not to 
        recommend that the National Cancer Institute reissue its earlier 
        guidelines;
Whereas the Director of the National Cancer Institute and other major national 
        organizations, including the American Cancer Society, expressed surprise 
        and disappointment with this decision;
Whereas approximately 80 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no 
        identifiable risk for this disease;
Whereas breast cancer is the single leading cause of death for women in their 
        forties and fifties, and is a leading cause of death for women between 
        the ages of 30 and 60; and
Whereas more women between the ages of 40 and 49 will be diagnosed with breast 
        cancer this year than will women in their fifties: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) adequately designed and conducted studies are needed to 
        further determine the benefits of screening women between the 
        ages of 40 and 49 for breast cancer through the use of 
        mammograms and other emerging technologies; and
            (2) the House of Representatives strongly urges the 
        Advisory Panel for the National Cancer Institute to--
                    (A) consider reissuing the guideline rescinded in 
                1993 recommending mammograms for women between the ages 
                of 40 and 49 when it convenes in February 1997; or
                    (B) direct the public to consider guidelines issued 
                by other organizations regarding the benefits of 
                mammograms for women between the ages of 40 and 49 
                until there is more definitive data concerning this 
                health issue.
                                 <all>