[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8833-S8834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 462--DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 2021 AS ``NATIONAL LUNG 
CANCER AWARENESS MONTH'' AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR EARLY DETECTION AND 
                        TREATMENT OF LUNG CANCER

  Ms. SMITH (for herself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Van Hollen, Mrs. Capito, and 
Mr. Scott of South Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which 
was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 462

       Whereas lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related 
     death among men and women in the United States, accounting 
     for more deaths than colon cancer, breast cancer, and 
     prostate cancer combined;
       Whereas 1 in 15 men and 1 in 17 women in the United States 
     will develop lung cancer during their lifetime;
       Whereas it is estimated that, in 2021, 235,760 individuals 
     in the United States will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and 
     131,880 individuals will die from the disease;
       Whereas lung cancer incidence is decreasing twice as fast 
     in men as in women, each year more women die from lung cancer 
     than breast cancer, and by 2035, it is estimated that more 
     women will die from lung cancer than men;
       Whereas disparities in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, 
     treatment, and mortality are well-documented, and Black men 
     have the highest incidence of lung cancer and the highest 
     mortality rate from lung cancer of any racial or ethnic 
     group;
       Whereas, annually, lung cancer in individuals who have 
     never smoked is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related 
     death and accounts for between 17,000 and 26,000 deaths in 
     the United States;
       Whereas women who have never smoked are more likely to be 
     diagnosed with lung cancer than men who have never smoked;
       Whereas, in the United States, the proportion of lung 
     cancers diagnosed in individuals who have never smoked is 
     increasing;
       Whereas the 5-year survival rate for localized lung cancer 
     is 60 percent, yet only about 18 percent of lung cancers are 
     diagnosed at this stage;
       Whereas screening individuals at high risk of lung cancer 
     using low-dose computed tomography can detect lung cancer 
     earlier than other forms of screening and ultimately save 
     lives;
       Whereas lung cancer screening can effectively reduce lung 
     cancer mortality, but, annually, only between 2.8 and 7.2 
     percent of individuals in the United States eligible for

[[Page S8834]]

     lung cancer screening undergo lung cancer screening with low-
     dose computed tomography;
       Whereas current lung cancer screening guidelines help catch 
     cancer early for individuals at high risk of lung cancer, 
     leading to a higher likelihood of successful treatment, but 
     can preclude screening for individuals who develop lung 
     cancer, including individuals who have never smoked but have 
     other risk factors, such as family history of lung cancer, 
     exposure to secondhand smoke, or exposure to radon, which is 
     the second leading cause of lung cancer; and
       Whereas educational efforts can increase awareness of lung 
     cancer and lung cancer screening among the general public, 
     patients and their families, and health care workers, thereby 
     increasing the early detection of lung cancer: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates November 2021 as ``National Lung Cancer 
     Awareness Month'';
       (2) supports the purposes and ideals of National Lung 
     Cancer Awareness Month;
       (3) promotes efforts to increase awareness of, and 
     education about, lung cancer among individuals in the United 
     States;
       (4) champions efforts to increase lung cancer screening by 
     raising awareness among, and improving access for, 
     individuals who are eligible for lung cancer screening;
       (5) recognizes the need for research on the early 
     screening, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer; and
       (6) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     National Lung Cancer Awareness Month with appropriate 
     awareness and educational activities.

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