[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 68 (Thursday, May 23, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4845-S4846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Cantwell, and Mr. 
        DeWine):
  S. 2558. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for 
the collection of data on benign brain-related tumors through the 
national program of cancer registries; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Bengin Brain 
Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act. I am pleased to be joined by my 
colleagues, Senators Fitzgerald, Cantwell, and DeWine in this effort.
  This legislation seeks to ensure that all forms of brain tumors are 
accounted for under the National Program of Cancer Registries. While 
the distinction between benign and malignant is often the difference 
between life and death for many kinds of tumors, it is not so clear 
when it comes to tumors of the brain. Depending on location and size, a 
brain tumor that is classified as benign can be equally life 
threatening as a malignant brain tumor.
  It is estimated that benign brain tumors account for almost 40 
percent of the 35,000 brain tumors diagnosed each year. Currently, 21 
States, including my home State of Rhode Island, collect data on 
malignant as well as benign brain tumors. Yet, there is no mechanism in 
place to track the incidence of benign brain tumors at the Federal 
level. Moreover, variation exists in how different states have defined 
a benign brain tumor. This lack of consistent data on the incidence of 
benign brain tumors has hindered the ability of the scientific 
community to invest appropriate resources into brain tumor research.
  While our current data is insufficient, disturbing trends related to 
brain tumors are nevertheless beginning to emerge. Brain tumors are the 
second leading cause of cancer death for children and the third leading 
cause of cancer death in young adults ages 15-34. Since 1975, the 
incidence of brain tumors has increased 25 percent for reasons that 
remain unknown. Tragically, our limited scientific and medical 
understanding of brain tumors is related to their incredibly high 
mortality rates. Only 37 percent of males and 52 percent of females 
survive five-years following the diagnosis of a primary benign or 
malignant brain tumor.
  By incorporating the collection of benign brain tumor data into the 
National Program of Cancer Registries, we will take a crucial first 
step toward better understanding the possible causes of this affliction 
and enhancing the ability of the medical community to devise improved 
methods of diagnosis and treatment for all brain tumors.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure swift 
consideration and passage of this legislation. I ask unanimous consent 
that the text of my bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2558

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Benign Brain Tumor Cancer 
     Registries Amendment Act''.

     SEC. 2. NATIONAL PROGRAM OF CANCER REGISTRIES; BENIGN BRAIN-
                   RELATED TUMORS AS ADDITIONAL CATEGORY OF DATA 
                   COLLECTED.

       (a) In General.--Section 399B of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 280e), as redesignated by section 502(2)(A) of 
     Public Law 106-310 (114 Stat. 1115), is amended in subsection 
     (a)--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as 
     subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively and indenting 
     appropriately;
       (2) by striking ``(a) In General.--The Secretary'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(a) In General.--
       ``(1) Statewide cancer registries.--The Secretary'';
       (3) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so 
     redesignated), by striking ``population-based'' and all that 
     follows through ``data'' and inserting the following: 
     ``population-based, statewide registries to collect, for each 
     condition specified in paragraph (2)(A), data''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Cancer; benign brain-related tumors.--
       ``(A) In general.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the 
     conditions referred to in this paragraph are the following:
       ``(i) Each form of in-situ and invasive cancer (with the 
     exception of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the 
     skin), including malignant brain-related tumors.
       ``(ii) Benign brain-related tumors.
       ``(B) Brain-related tumor.--For purposes of subparagraph 
     (A):
       ``(i) The term `brain-related tumor' means a listed primary 
     tumor (whether malignant or benign) occurring in any of the 
     following sites:

       ``(I) The brain, meninges, spinal cord, cauda equina, a 
     cranial nerve or nerves, or any other part of the central 
     nervous system.
       ``(II) The pituitary gland, pineal gland, or 
     craniopharyngeal duct.

       ``(ii) The term `listed', with respect to a primary tumor, 
     means a primary tumor that is listed in the International 
     Classification of Diseases for Oncology (commonly referred to 
     as the ICD-O).
       ``(iii) The term `International Classification of Diseases 
     for Oncology' means a classification system that includes 
     topography (site) information and histology (cell type 
     information) developed by the World Health Organization, in 
     collaboration with international centers, to promote 
     international comparability in the collection, 
     classification, processing, and presentation of cancer 
     statistics. The ICD-O system is a supplement to the 
     International Statistical Classification of Diseases and 
     Related Health Problems (commonly known as the ICD) and is 
     the standard coding system used by cancer registries 
     worldwide. Such term includes any modification made to such 
     system for purposes of the United States. Such term further 
     includes any published classification system that is 
     internationally recognized as a successor to the 
     classification system referred to in the first sentence of 
     this clause.
       ``(C) Statewide cancer registry.--References in this 
     section to cancer registries shall be considered to be 
     references to registries described in this subsection.''.
       (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     apply to grants under section 399B of the Public Health 
     Service Act

[[Page S4846]]

     for fiscal year 2002 and subsequent fiscal years, except 
     that, in the case of a State that received such a grant for 
     fiscal year 2000, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
     may delay the applicability of such amendments to the State 
     for not more than 12 months if the Secretary determines that 
     compliance with such amendments requires the enactment of a 
     statute by the State or the issuance of State regulations.
                                 ______