Raising awareness for the sarcoma cancer chordoma.

Raising awareness for the sarcoma cancer chordoma.

Whereas chordoma is a slow growing, yet aggressive bone cancer of the skull and spine;

Whereas it strikes people of all ages and affects more than 25,000 individuals worldwide;

Whereas, each year, thousands of people are diagnosed with chordoma including about 300 people annually in the United States;

Whereas chordomas are among the most complicated tumors to treat due to involvement of critical structures such as the brain stem, spinal cord, and important nerves and arteries;

Whereas surgery or radiation performed by a skilled treatment team can be curative for some patients, but even with the best care possible, the recurrence rate remains high; and

Whereas no drugs are known to cure or effectively control the disease, meaning that patients whose disease progresses after exhausting surgical and radiation options have little hope for a full recovery: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that chordoma patients and families need increased funding and support for—

(1) accurate and early diagnosis;

(2) the development of new treatments, diagnostics, and cures;

(3) fewer hurdles between research and new treatments; and

(4) patient-centric approaches to drug discovery and development.