[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 617 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 617

     Designating July 22, 2020, as ``Glioblastoma Awareness Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 15, 2020

 Mr. Graham (for himself, Mr. Markey, Ms. McSally, Ms. Sinema, and Ms. 
 Warren) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Designating July 22, 2020, as ``Glioblastoma Awareness Day''.

Whereas more than 13,000 new cases of glioblastoma will be diagnosed in the 
        United States in 2020;
Whereas glioblastoma is--

    (1) the most common malignant (cancerous) brain tumor, accounting for 
48 percent of all primary malignant brain tumors; and

    (2) the most aggressive, complex, difficult to treat, and deadly type 
of brain tumor;

Whereas it is estimated that more than 10,000 individuals in the United States 
        will succumb to glioblastoma every year;
Whereas the 5-year survival rate for glioblastoma patients is only 6.8 percent, 
        and the average length of survival for glioblastoma patients is 
        estimated to be only 12 to 18 months;
Whereas glioblastoma is described as a disease that affects the ``essence of 
        self'', as the treatment and removal of glioblastoma presents 
        significant challenges due to the uniquely complex and fragile nature of 
        the brain, the primary organ in the human body that controls not only 
        cognitive ability, but also the actions of every organ and limb;
Whereas, relative to other types of cancers, brain cancer has--

    (1) the highest per-patient initial cost of care, with an annualized 
mean net cost of care approaching $150,000; and

    (2) the highest annualized mean net costs for last-year-of-life care, 
with a cost of between $135,000 and $210,000 per patient, depending on the 
age and gender of a patient;

Whereas, although research advances may fuel the development of new treatments 
        for glioblastoma, challenging obstacles to accelerating progress toward 
        new treatments for glioblastoma remain, and there are no screening or 
        early detection methods;
Whereas, although glioblastoma was first described in medical and scientific 
        literature in the 1920s, and despite its devastating prognosis, only 4 
        drugs and 1 medical device have been approved by the Food and Drug 
        Administration to treat glioblastoma since the 1920s, and the mortality 
        rates associated with glioblastoma have changed little during the past 
        30 years; and
Whereas there is a need for greater public awareness of glioblastoma, including 
        awareness of both--

    (1) the urgent unmet medical needs of glioblastoma patients; and

    (2) the opportunities for research and treatment advances for 
glioblastoma: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates July 22, 2020, as ``Glioblastoma Awareness 
        Day'';
            (2) encourages increased public awareness of glioblastoma;
            (3) honors the individuals who have lost their lives to 
        glioblastoma, a devastating disease, or are currently living 
        with it;
            (4) supports efforts to develop better treatments for 
        glioblastoma that will improve the long-term prognosis of 
        individuals diagnosed with glioblastoma;
            (5) expresses its support for the individuals who are 
        battling brain tumors, as well as the families, friends, and 
        caregivers of those individuals; and
            (6) urges a collaborative approach to brain tumor research, 
        which is a promising means of advancing the understanding and 
        treatment of glioblastoma.
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