[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 203 (Saturday, December 22, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S8029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





SENATE RESOLUTION 742--DESIGNATING THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER 2018, AND 
 SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF EACH FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER THEREAFTER, 
  AS ``CANCER SCREEN WEEK'', IDENTIFYING THE BURDEN OF CANCER IN THE 
  UNITED STATES, AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TALK WITH THEIR HEALTHCARE 
  PROVIDERS ABOUT APPROPRIATE SCREENINGS FOR THE PREVENTION AND EARLY 
                          DETECTION OF CANCER

  Mr. JONES (for himself and Mr. Perdue) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to.:

                              S. Res. 742

       Whereas the American Cancer Society estimates that, in 
     2018, more than 600,000 people in the United States will lose 
     their lives to cancer;
       Whereas the National Cancer Institute estimates that 
     approximately 18,000 to 210,000 deaths in United States from 
     cancer could be avoided through prevention and early 
     detection;
       Whereas the death rate from cancer dropped 25 percent 
     between 1991 and 2014 because of reductions in smoking and 
     advances in early detection and treatment;
       Whereas, according to the American Cancer Society, the 5-
     year relative survival rate for cancer detected at the local 
     stage is approximately 55 percent for lung cancer, 90 percent 
     for colon and rectum cancers, 91 percent for cervical cancer, 
     99 percent for breast cancer, and 98 percent for melanoma of 
     the skin;
       Whereas many of those cancers are often preventable and 
     early detection and treatment are critical, as cancer does 
     not always cause symptoms and many cancers occur in people 
     with no family history of cancer;
       Whereas specific types of cancer disproportionately affect 
     different populations, for example--
       (1) breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among 
     Black women;
       (2) the rate of prostate cancer among Black men is double 
     the rate for other men;
       (3) the likelihood of developing colorectal cancer for 
     Alaska Natives is double that of other people in the United 
     States;
       (4) cervical cancer is more prevalent among Hispanic and 
     Black women;
       (5) 2 out of 3 people diagnosed with lung cancer are 65 
     years of age or older; and
       (6) melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is one of 
     the most common types of cancer among young adults;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, the rates of screening for many types of cancer 
     among populations for which screenings are recommended remain 
     substantially below the targets set forth in the Healthy 
     People 2020 report;
       Whereas it is critical to reinforce the need for people to 
     discuss their individual risk factors for cancer with their 
     healthcare providers and understand the recommendations for, 
     and benefits of, cancer screening; and
       Whereas it is critical that healthcare providers present 
     individuals who are diagnosed with cancer through screening 
     clear and complete options for further diagnostic or 
     molecular testing and treatment: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) encourages all people in the United States to talk with 
     their healthcare providers about their risk factors for all 
     types of cancer, including breast, cervical, colon, lung, 
     prostate, and skin cancer, and recommended screening options;
       (2) designates the first week of December 2018 as ``Cancer 
     Screen Week''; and
       (3) supports the designation of the first week of December 
     as ``Cancer Screen Week''.

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