[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 160 (Wednesday, December 14, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S13591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 331--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
                FERTILITY ISSUES FACING CANCER SURVIVORS

  Ms. LANDRIEU (for herself, Mr. Burr, Mr. Bingaman, Mrs. Feinstein, 
and Mr. Isakson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 331

       Whereas there are more than 10,000,000 cancer survivors in 
     the United States, and approximately 1,000,000 of those 
     survivors were diagnosed during their reproductive years;
       Whereas approximately 130,000 people under the age of 45 
     are diagnosed with cancer each year;
       Whereas up to 90 percent of patients diagnosed with cancer 
     under the age of 45 will undergo potentially sterilizing 
     treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation;
       Whereas survivorship rates have dramatically increased so 
     that 71 percent of patients who are diagnosed with cancer 
     under the age of 45 can expect to live at least five years 
     beyond the diagnosis of their disease;
       Whereas long-term consequences of cancer treatment are of 
     increasing concern to patients since they are increasingly 
     likely to survive their cancer;
       Whereas the diagnosis of infertility can be as devastating 
     for many patients as the cancer diagnosis itself;
       Whereas successful fertility preservation options for men 
     and women exist and include: sperm banking, oocyte (egg) 
     freezing, and ovarian and testicular tissue freezing;
       Whereas many cancer patients have the option of taking 
     steps to preserve their fertility before their potentially 
     sterilizing cancer treatment begins;
       Whereas many patients do not take steps to preserve their 
     fertility before treatment because they are not informed by 
     their health care professionals that their fertility is at 
     risk, or, if they are informed of the risk, they are 
     generally not counseled on their fertility preservation 
     options;
       Whereas unrelated factors such as marital status or poor 
     prognosis should not preclude certain patients from being 
     informed about their fertility risks and options; and
       Whereas the 2003-2004 President's Cancer Panel Report 
     recognized that comprehensive written and verbal information 
     regarding fertility side effects and fertility preservation 
     options for all reproductive-age patients should be provided 
     before treatment: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) cancer-related infertility is a serious quality of life 
     issue for reproductive-age cancer patients;
       (2) national and community organizations should be 
     recognized and applauded for their work in promoting 
     awareness of the risks of infertility and fertility 
     preservation options for cancer survivors;
       (3) the medical community should increase its efforts to 
     ensure that discussions about the risk of infertility and 
     fertility preservation options are an integral part of 
     pretreatment planning and consent for treatment for all 
     reproductive-age patients; and
       (4) the Federal Government, acting through the National 
     Institutes of Health, should endeavor to--
       (A) encourage research that will strengthen fertility 
     preservation technologies for cancer patients;
       (B) continue to consider ways to improve access to 
     fertility preservation options for cancer patients; and
       (C) endeavor to raise awareness about the fertility side 
     effects and fertility preservation options for cancer 
     patients.

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