Supporting the designation of September 2025 as “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”.

Supporting the designation of September 2025 as “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”.

Whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer deaths of women in the United States and causes more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer;

Whereas, in the United States, a woman’s lifetime risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is about 1 in 91;

Whereas the American Cancer Society estimates 20,890 cases of ovarian cancer will be newly diagnosed in 2025, and 12,730 individuals will die from the disease nationwide;

Whereas the 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 51.6 percent, and survival rates vary greatly depending on the stage of diagnosis;

Whereas the 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is over 90 percent for individuals diagnosed in early stages;

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, in June 2007, the first national consensus statement on ovarian cancer symptoms was developed to provide consistency in describing symptoms to make it easier for women to learn and remember those symptoms;

Whereas Black women with ovarian cancer are more likely to have late-stage diagnoses, receive lower quality clinical services, and have lower 5-year survival rates than non-Black women;

Whereas Black women have a 5-year ovarian cancer mortality rate of 62 percent, while the 5-year ovarian cancer mortality rate is 54 percent for White women;

Whereas women of color, low-income women, and women living in rural areas have more barriers to accessing a standard quality of care and are more likely to receive care at a facility that has poorer adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network treatment guidelines;

Whereas the proportion of ovarian cancer cases in women serving on Active Duty who are less than 45 years of age is substantially greater than in the general population;

Whereas too many people remain 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 vague symptoms that are often easily confused with other diseases;

Whereas improved awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer by the public and health care providers can lead to quicker diagnoses and more treatment opportunities;

Whereas the lack of an early detection test for ovarian cancer combined with its vague symptoms mean that approximately 80 percent of cases of ovarian cancer are detected at an advanced stage;

Whereas issues collecting and reporting data on treatment and outcomes related to ovarian cancer risk, especially for underserved communities and marginalized populations, can impede the development of effective policy;

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 30 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 her risk 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 those women who have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer should consider genetic testing and counseling to determine whether their risk of developing a heritable cancer is elevated;

Whereas women who know that they are at high risk of ovarian cancer may undertake prophylactic measures like an opportunistic salpingectomy to help reduce the risk of developing this disease;

Whereas guidelines issued by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology recommend that all individuals diagnosed with ovarian cancer receive genetic counseling and genetic testing regardless of their family history;

Whereas studies consistently show that compliance with these guidelines is alarmingly low, with recently published National Cancer Institute-funded research finding that in 2013 and 2014, only one-third of ovarian cancer survivors have undergone such testing;

Whereas, according to a 2016 consensus report by the National Academy of Medicine, “there remain surprising gaps in the fundamental knowledge about and understanding of ovarian cancer” across all aspects of the disease;

Whereas ovarian cancer research remains underfunded relative to its mortality rate, making increased Federal investment critical to progress;

Whereas ongoing investments in ovarian cancer research and education and awareness efforts are critical to closing these gaps and improving survivorship for women with ovarian cancer;

Whereas, each year during the month of September, the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and community partner organizations hold a number of events to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms; and

Whereas September 2025 should be designated as “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month” to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) supports the designation of “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”; and

(2) supports the goals and ideals of “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”.