[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S6261]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, today I wish to express support for women 
across America who are battling ovarian cancer and their families and 
friends who stand with them in their fight. It is estimated 22,280 
women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. Of these women, 
15,500 of them will lose the battle against this disease--1,040 of the 
women who will lose the battle this year live in Florida. To put those 
numbers in perspective, this year, across America, 3 percent of new 
cancer diagnoses in women will be ovarian cancer, but ovarian cancer 
will account for 6 percent of female cancer deaths this year.
  September marks National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, which is why 
I chose now to bring attention to this disease. Ovarian cancer is the 
ninth most common cancer in women and the fifth leading cause of 
cancer-related deaths because ovarian cancer is a unique cancer--there 
are no screening tests or early detection tests available. However, if 
ovarian cancer is treated before it has spread past the ovary, the 5-
year survival rate is 93 percent. Sadly, only 15 percent of ovarian 
cancer diagnoses happen in this early stage, making the overall 5-year 
survival a mere 46 percent.
  Until a screening test is developed, the best we can do to protect 
our wives, daughters, sisters, nieces, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, 
and friends is to bring awareness to the risk factors, signs, and 
symptoms of ovarian cancer. I urge my colleagues to help educate women 
about the potential warning signs to help with early diagnosis, which 
is the best method to save lives.

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