[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 53 (Thursday, March 23, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 23, 2023

  Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin.  Mr. Speaker, as a congresswoman and a 
champion of health care initiatives, and as an advocate for breast 
cancer survivors, I rise today to commemorate Triple Negative Breast 
Cancer Day.
  Breast cancer is a devastating disease that affects far too many of 
us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 
one in eight women will get breast cancer in her life, impacting 
hundreds of thousands of Americans each year.
  I am particularly concerned about the disparities in breast cancer 
that leave women of color even more vulnerable to this deadly disease. 
While the many reasons are complex, it is critical that we continue to 
support research to get answers and to break down barriers to help save 
lives. For example, I have long been concerned about the impact of 
breast density, which can make cancers more difficult to detect on a 
mammogram. Additionally, dense breasts have been identified as a risk 
factor for developing breast cancer, according to the FDA. I applaud 
the FDA for its recent efforts to help ensure that patients are 
provided with accurate and timely information about the impact that 
breast density and other factors can have on the risk for developing 
breast cancer as part of a comprehensive breast health strategy.
  Yet, we have so much more to do to help save lives especially when it 
comes to aggressive and deadly forms of breast cancer, like triple 
negative breast cancer. Women with triple-negative breast cancer often 
face a worse prognosis and limited treatment options.
  This is why we need to increase funding for research for breast 
cancer, including for those who are fighting the triple negative 
variety. We need to find better ways to detect it early and to develop 
new treatments that will give women with triple-negative breast cancer 
better options in their fight against cancer.
  But funding for more research is not enough. We also need to ensure 
equity and access to high quality and affordable treatments for all 
those with breast cancer, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or 
socioeconomic status. Women from marginalized communities often face 
barriers to accessing care such as high co-pays for additional testing 
beyond a basic mammogram, and we must work to break down those 
barriers.
  No woman should have to fight breast cancer alone, and no woman 
should be denied the care she needs because of where she comes from or 
how much money she makes. We must come together as a community to 
ensure that all fighting breast cancer have access to the care and 
treatment they need.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in the fight against breast cancer 
and to support increased investments in critical research for those 
battling triple-negative and other forms of breast cancer research and 
ensuring equity and access to care for all women with breast cancer.

                          ____________________