[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 190 (Wednesday, December 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S7037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 863--DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 2022 AS ``NATIONAL LUNG 
CANCER AWARENESS MONTH'' AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR EARLY DETECTION AND 
                        TREATMENT OF LUNG CANCER

  Ms. SMITH (for herself and Mr. Rubio) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 863

       Whereas lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related 
     death among individuals in the United States, accounting for 
     more deaths than colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate 
     cancer combined;
       Whereas it is estimated that, in 2022, 236,740 individuals 
     in the United States will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and 
     130,180 individuals (approximately 350 individuals per day) 
     will die from the disease;
       Whereas 1 in 16 men and 1 in 17 women in the United States 
     will develop lung cancer during their lifetimes;
       Whereas the rate of lung cancer diagnosis in women in the 
     United States has increased by 79 percent over the past 44 
     years, 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 
     in the United States;
       Whereas, in 2022, lung cancer in individuals who have never 
     smoked is estimated to account for 20,700 deaths in the 
     United States, according to the American Cancer Society;
       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 61 percent, yet only 19 percent of lung cancers are 
     diagnosed at this stage, while a majority of lung cancer 
     cases are diagnosed at the distant stage, for which the 5-
     year survival rate is 7 percent;
       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 over 1,000,000 veterans are eligible for lung 
     cancer screening, but less than 3 percent undergo lung cancer 
     screening by low-dose computed tomography;
       Whereas lung cancer screening can effectively reduce lung 
     cancer mortality, but, annually, only 4.5 percent of 
     individuals in the United States at risk for lung cancer 
     undergo lung cancer screening with low-dose computed 
     tomography;
       Whereas current lung cancer screening guidelines help 
     identify 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 2022 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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