[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 341 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 341

   Designating September 2019 as ``National Ovarian Cancer Awareness 
                                Month''.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 25, 2019

 Ms. Stabenow (for herself, Mr. Carper, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Brown, and 
Mr. Menendez) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                     the Committee on the Judiciary

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                               RESOLUTION


 
   Designating September 2019 as ``National Ovarian Cancer Awareness 
                                Month''.

Whereas ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers;
Whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women 
        in the United States;
Whereas, in 2019 in the United States, approximately 22,530 new cases of ovarian 
        cancer will be diagnosed and 13,980 women will die of ovarian cancer;
Whereas more than \1/2\ of the women diagnosed with ovarian cancer will die 
        within 5 years of that diagnosis;
Whereas, while the mammogram can detect breast cancer and the Pap smear can 
        detect cervical cancer, there is no reliable early detection test for 
        ovarian cancer;
Whereas the lack of an early detection test means that approximately 80 percent 
        of cases of ovarian cancer are detected at an advanced stage;
Whereas all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but approximately 20 percent 
        of women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a hereditary 
        predisposition to ovarian cancer, which places them at even higher risk;
Whereas scientists and physicians have uncovered changes in the BRCA genes that 
        some women inherit from their parents, which may make those women as 
        much as 35 times more likely to develop ovarian cancer;
Whereas the family history of a woman has been found to play an important role 
        in accurately assessing the risk of that woman of developing ovarian 
        cancer, and medical experts believe that family history should be taken 
        into consideration during the annual well-woman visit of any woman;
Whereas many experts in health prevention now recommend genetic testing for 
        young women with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer;
Whereas women who know that they are at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer 
        may undertake prophylactic measures to help reduce the risk of 
        developing those diseases;
Whereas clinical trials are fundamental to the discovery of new and better 
        therapies in the fight against ovarian cancer and can offer some 
        patients their best hope for treatment;
Whereas the Society of Gynecologic Oncology recommends that all women who are 
        diagnosed with ovarian cancer receive counseling and genetic testing;
Whereas testing somatic tumors can provide critical information to help 
        effectively treat patients with ovarian cancer;
Whereas many people are unaware that the symptoms of ovarian cancer often 
        include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling 
        full quickly, urinary symptoms, and several other symptoms that are 
        easily confused with other diseases;
Whereas awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer by women and health care 
        providers can lead to a quicker diagnosis; and
Whereas, each year during the month of September, the Ovarian Cancer Research 
        Alliance and community partners hold hundreds of events to increase 
        public awareness of ovarian cancer: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates September 2019 as ``National Ovarian Cancer 
        Awareness Month''; and
            (2) supports the goals and ideals of National Ovarian 
        Cancer Awareness Month.
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