[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 106 (Thursday, July 26, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. FELIX J. GRUCCI, JR.

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 26, 2001

  Mr. GRUCCI, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring awareness to the 
American public about a silent killer that will affect one in five 
American men in their lifetime: prostate cancer, and to assist the 
National Cancer Institute in recruiting men to participate in the 
largest ever prostate cancer prevention study.
  Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men 
in this nation, according to the American Cancer Society. A family 
history of this disease can double your risk of being diagnosed with 
prostate cancer, as does a high-fat diet. Those men over the age of 40 
are more likely to be stricken with the disease.
  But while no one knows what causes prostate cancer, early detection 
is the best way to survive this sometimes deadly disease. In fact, 
according to the American Cancer Society nearly everyone whose prostate 
cancer is detected before it spreads survives.
  To learn more about this disease, the National Cancer Institute is 
launching the largest-ever prostate cancer prevention study. The NCI 
will be recruiting 32,000 men for this trial, which will take up to 12 
years to complete. Anyone interested in being a part of this trial can 
call 1-800-4-CANCER for information about where the study is being 
conducted in their area.
  I'm proud that Stony Brook University Hospital--which is located in 
the First District of New York and is one of the finest medical 
institutions in the nation--is one of the four Long Island hospitals 
hosting sites for this very important study.
  Next week, July 29-August 3, is National Prostate Cancer Awareness 
Week. I urge all men over the age of 40 to set aside time during this 
week to make an appointment with their doctor to schedule a prostate 
health screening. With early detection offering more treatment options 
and a better cure rate for those who are diagnosed with this disease.
  Research into the prevention and cure for prostate cancer and other 
forms of this ailment is critically important; and additional research 
dollars are needed to achieve this goal is vital. That's why I have 
joined my colleague from Long Island, Congressman Peter King in co-
sponsoring H.R. 281, the Taxpayer's Cancer Research Funding Act. This 
legislation would amend the Internal Revenue Code and allow certain 
individuals to designate that five dollars--or ten dollars in the case 
of joint returns--be directed to the Breast and Prostate Cancer 
Research Fund. These dollars would be used to award peer review 
research grants by the National Cancer Institute.
  I ask all of my colleagues to inform their constituents about the 
National Cancer Institute's study and to urge the men in their district 
over the age of 40 to schedule a screening appointment during National 
Prostate Cancer Awareness Week and support H.R. 281.

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