[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 96 (Thursday, July 21, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT ACT OF 1994

  (Mr. FIELDS of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FIELDS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
the Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Act of 1994. Prostate 
cancer is a serious killer that is striking more and more men every 
year. It is the most common form of cancer among men and the second 
leading cause of cancer death. And death rates from this disease are 
growing rapidly.
  In recent years, we have developed new tests that can effectively 
screen the high-risk population. In addition to the traditional DRE, 
physicians can also use ultrasound and the relatively new prostate-
specific antigen [PSA] blood test. The PSA test has been shown to be 
particularly effective in early detection of prostate cancer--
identifying cases before they are picked up in a DRE or ultrasound. 
Early detection is critical if treatment through prostatectomy or 
radiation therapy is to stop the cancer before it spreads to the bone. 
Once the cancer leaves the prostate, treatment is much less effective. 
The American Urological Association now recommends routine screening 
for men over age 50.
  While we know these tests could be the difference between life and 
death for tens of thousands of men, we are not making all of them 
available through Federal programs like Medicare and veterans medical 
centers for men in the highest risk categories. This despite the fact 
that over 90 percent of prostate cancer is found in men in the Medicare 
age groups. We are also not making complete treatment available through 
these programs for men that have the disease. Although studies have 
found combination therapies with oral and intravenous drugs to be most 
effective in prolonging the lives of patients with late stage prostate 
cancer, these therapies are not covered under Medicare or generally 
available through veterans medical centers.
  This legislation would change that. It would make an annual prostate 
cancer screening, including the option of a PSA test, available to all 
men enrolled in Medicare or in veterans health programs. It would also 
provide Medicare and veterans health coverage for oral drugs in cases 
where the oral drugs are part of a combination therapy for prostate 
cancer.
  Finally, this legislation would increase funding for research and 
development of new treatments for prostate cancer, and would direct the 
agency for health care policy and research [AHCPR] to expand research 
into effective treatments for prostate cancer leading to the 
development of medical guidelines.
  It is time for us to take action to halt the progress of this deadly 
cancer. At the very least, we must take the roadblocks out of our 
Federal programs that bar men from receiving the screening and 
treatment that have been shown to be effective with this disease. I 
urge my colleagues to join me in making our proposed attack on prostate 
cancer a reality.

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