[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9142]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SEX DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH AWARENESS DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2005

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, as part of National Women's Health Week, 
the Society for Women's Health Research is recognizing today as ``Sex 
Differences in Health Awareness Day.'' The intent of this day is to 
draw attention to the biological health differences between women and 
men. I am proud to reflect on this issue, and I strongly believe the 
importance of this day cannot be overstated.
  It is true, scientists have long known about the anatomical 
differences between men and women. However, only within the past decade 
has the scientific community begun to investigate and uncover 
significant biological and physiological differences between men and 
women. From genes to behavior, women and men are now gaining greater 
knowledge of their unique differences. As a result, they are able to 
better achieve optimal healthcare.
  The Society for Women's Health Research has led efforts to shed light 
on the distinctions in women's health. Through the Society's tireless 
persistence on behalf of women's health, they have engaged and 
supported the scientific community to investigate these 
dissimilarities. Over the last fifteen years, the Society has worked to 
ensure that women are included in clinical trials and that the analysis 
of research include sex differences at all levels. I commend the 
Society for Women's Health Research for its tireless efforts to 
increase understanding of sex differences and to improve the health of 
women.
  One health issue that affects women very differently than men is 
cancer. In fact, every 6.4 minutes, a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed 
with a form of gynecologic cancer. This year, 28,000 American women are 
expected to die from gynecologic cancers. For example, ovarian cancer 
is a gynecologic cancer, and it is the fourth leading cause of cancer 
deaths among women in the United States. It kills more women than all 
other gynecologic cancers combined. The incidence of ovarian cancer has 
actually increased over several years. Up from 1 in 70 women in past 
years, ovarian cancer now occurs in 1 in 57 women. In comparison, 
prostate cancer mortality rates peaked in 1991 and have since decreased 
by about 33 percent, while deaths from ovarian cancer have risen. 
According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer deaths rose by 
almost 20 percent in just one year from 2003 to 2004. While 25,500 
women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year, more than 16,000 
women will die from the disease, including over 1,000 women in New York 
State.
  Although there is only a 25 percent five-year survival rate when 
ovarian cancer is diagnosed in the later stages, if the cancer is 
caught before it has spread outside the ovaries, there is a greater 
than 90 percent survival rate of five years. However, the sad reality 
is that only 24 percent of ovarian cancer is caught early. Even more 
frustrating, early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer is 
oftentimes hindered due to lack of understanding by both women and 
their healthcare providers. Most women and healthcare professionals 
think ovarian cancer is asymptomatic, but new studies indicate that 
ovarian cancer does have symptoms, even in the early stage of the 
disease. Reliable screening tests do not exist for the early detection 
of ovarian cancer and a Pap smear only checks for cervical cancer. 
However, a bimanual pelvic exam, a Ca125 blood test, or a transvaginal 
ultrasound can help rule out ovarian cancer, but only if women and 
their doctors are aware of these options. With women's lives at stake, 
we clearly need to do a better job of educating women and, especially, 
their physicians, so that early detection of ovarian cancer becomes the 
norm.
  In my district, the Buffalo-based Roswell Park Cancer Institute, 
RPCI, and the University of Rochester Medical Center, URMC, are 
supporting many research efforts on ovarian cancer. As a member of the 
Gynecologic Oncology Group, RPCI participates in most national trials 
to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of gynecologic 
cancers. They also collaborate in the Ovarian Cancer Early Detection 
Program sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. RPCI is evaluating 
the anti-angiogenesis factor IM862 in the treatment of recurrent 
ovarian carcinoma. Through the Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer 
Registry, RCPI collects data on familial ovarian cancer. RPCI continues 
to research glycoproteins and tumor markers in ovarian cancer. 
Researchers at the URMC are investigating tumor suppression gene 
identification for ovarian cancer and are conducting several phase III 
trials to identify treatments for women with ovarian cancer.
  Despite the critical work of RPCI and URMC, ovarian cancer research 
and education continues to be significantly under-funded compared to 
other cancers. In the last 10 years, funding for prostate cancer, has 
increased 20 fold, while funding for ovarian cancer has only increased 
2.5 percent. Not surprisingly, there has been substantial progress in 
prostate cancer detection and treatment, while achievements in ovarian 
cancer research continue to lag far behind. According to the Ovarian 
Cancer National Alliance, $37 million in outstanding ovarian cancer 
proposals will not been funded in 2005 due to limited resources.
  Ovarian cancer is one example of the disparities women face in health 
research, prevention, and treatment. While progress has been made in 
some areas in recent years, there is still much more we must do to 
improve women's health. We need additional resources and we need 
Congressional action. I am pleased to be a cosponsor of H.R. 1245, also 
known as Johanna's Law. This legislation will authorize a federal 
campaign for gynecologic cancer education designed to improve early 
detection. It is one important step in closing the healthcare gap 
between men and women, and it should be enacted without delay.
  As we celebrate National Women's Health Week and the achievements 
made to improve the health and well being of women, I urge my 
colleagues to take a moment to reflect on the differences in health 
between men and women and encourage us to make a much stronger 
commitment to promoting women's health in this country.

                          ____________________