[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23534-23535]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 307--SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO INCREASE CHILDHOOD CANCER 
                   AWARENESS, TREATMENT, AND RESEARCH

  Mr. ISAKSON (for himself and Mr. Salazar) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 307

       Whereas an estimated 12,400 children are diagnosed with 
     cancer each year;
       Whereas cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in 
     children under age 15;
       Whereas an estimated 2,300 children die from cancer each 
     year;
       Whereas the incidence of cancer among children in the 
     United States is rising by about 1 percent each year;
       Whereas 1 in every 330 people in the United States develops 
     cancer before age 20;
       Whereas approximately 8 percent of deaths of individuals 
     between 1 and 19 years old are caused by cancer;
       Whereas, while some progress has been made, a number of 
     opportunities for childhood cancer research still remain 
     unfunded or underfunded;

[[Page 23535]]

       Whereas limited resources for childhood cancer research can 
     hinder the recruitment of investigators and physicians to 
     field of pediatric oncology;
       Whereas the results of peer-reviewed clinical trials have 
     helped to raise the standard of care for pediatrics and have 
     improved cancer survival rates among children;
       Whereas the number of survivors of childhood cancers 
     continues to increase, with about 1 in 640 adults between 
     ages 20 to 39 having a history of cancer;
       Whereas up to \2/3\ of childhood cancer survivors are 
     likely to experience at least 1 late effect from treatment, 
     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 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 Senate that Congress 
     should support--
       (1) public and private sector efforts to promote awareness 
     about--
       (A) the incidence of cancer among children;
       (B) the signs and symptoms of cancer in children;
       (C) options for the treatment of, and long-term follow-up 
     for, childhood cancers;
       (2) increased public and private investment in childhood 
     cancer research to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, 
     rehabilitation, post-treatment monitoring, and long-term 
     survival;
       (3) policies that provide incentives to encourage medical 
     trainees and investigators to enter 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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