[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 17545-17546]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO INCREASE CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS, TREATMENT 
                              AND RESEARCH

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 560 which was submitted earlier 
today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 560) supporting efforts to increase 
     childhood cancer awareness, treatment and research.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 560) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 560

       Whereas an estimated 12,400 children will be diagnosed with 
     cancer in the year 2005;
       Whereas cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in 
     children under age 15;
       Whereas an estimated 2,300 children will die from cancer in 
     the year 2005;
       Whereas the incidence of cancer among children in the 
     United States is rising by about one percent each year;
       Whereas 1 in every 330 Americans develops cancer before age 
     20;
       Whereas approximately 8 percent of deaths of those between 
     1 and 19 years of age are caused by cancer;
       Whereas while some progress has been made, a number of 
     funding opportunities for childhood cancer research still 
     remain;
       Whereas increasing the focus on childhood cancer research 
     requires the recruitment of additional investigators and 
     physicians to pediatric oncology;
       Whereas peer-reviewed clinical trials are the standard of 
     care for pediatrics and have improved cancer survival rates 
     among children;

[[Page 17546]]

       Whereas the number of survivors of childhood cancer 
     continues to grow, with about 1 in 640 adults between the 
     ages of 20 and 39 having a history of cancer;
       Whereas up to \2/3\ of childhood cancer survivors are 
     likely to experience at least one late effect from treatment, 
     many of which may be life-threatening;
       Whereas some late effects of cancer treatment are 
     identified early in follow-up and are easily resolved, while 
     others may become chronic problems in adulthood and may have 
     serious consequences; and
       Whereas 89 percent of children with cancer experience 
     substantial suffering in the last month of life: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that Congress 
     should support--
       (1) public and private sector efforts to promote awareness 
     about the incidence of cancer among children, the signs and 
     symptoms of cancer in children, treatment options, and long-
     term follow-up;
       (2) public and private investment in childhood cancer 
     research to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, 
     rehabilitation, post-treatment monitoring, and long-term 
     survival;
       (3) medical trainees and investigators in the field of 
     pediatric oncology;
       (4) policies that provide incentives to encourage the 
     development of drugs and biologics designed to treat 
     pediatric cancers;
       (5) policies that encourage participation in clinical 
     trials;
       (6) medical education curricula designed to improve pain 
     management for cancer patients; and
       (7) policies that enhance education, services, and other 
     resources related to late effects from treatment.

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