[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 25989-25990]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE OVARIAN CANCER BIOMARKER RESEARCH ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 27, 2007

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Gynecologic 
Cancer Awareness Month to introduce the Ovarian Cancer Biomarker 
Research Act of 2007 with Representative Ralph M. Hall. I commend Mr. 
Hall, my friend and colleague, for his work on this issue and for his 
dedication to this devastating disease.
  According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), there will be 
22,430 new cases of ovarian cancer and 15,280 deaths from ovarian 
cancer in the United States in 2007. Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in 
cancer deaths among women and causes more deaths than any other cancer 
of the female reproductive system.
  Early detection is the key to preventing deaths from this disease. In 
cases where

[[Page 25990]]

ovarian cancer is detected before it has spread beyond the ovaries, 
more than 93 percent of women survive longer than five years. When 
diagnosed in the advanced stages, the chance of five-year survival 
drops to about 30 percent. Currently, early stage diagnosis occurs in 
only 20 percent of ovarian cancer cases in the U.S. Ovarian cancer 
mortality could be reduced dramatically if a majority of the women 
affected by ovarian cancer were diagnosed at an early stage. 
Unfortunately, there is no widely accepted or effective screening test 
for ovarian cancer currently available and the disease is difficult to 
identify because symptoms are easily misdiagnosed.
  The Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2007 would authorize the 
NCI to make grants to public or nonprofit entities to establish 
research centers focused on ovarian cancer biomarkers. Biomarkers are 
biochemical features within the body that can be used to measure the 
progress of a disease and predict the effects of treatment. This Act 
also establishes a national clinical trial that will enroll at-risk 
women in a study to determine the clinical utility of using these 
validated ovarian cancer biomarkers.
  The need for increased research and funding for ovarian cancer is 
critical to improving survivorship rates from this disease. Between 
FY2003 and FY2006 funding for the NCI increased by $211 million, but 
gynecologic cancer research funding decreased. With the lifetime risk 
of ovarian cancer at one out of every 69 women, we must increase the 
resources to fight this disease.
  Credit is due to the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, the American 
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Ovarian Cancer National 
Alliance, and the American College of Surgeons for supporting the 
Ovarian Cancer Biomarker Research Act of 2007. Support for this bill 
from groups such as these is extremely important throughout the entire 
legislative process. Specifically, I thank Dr. Beth Karlan for bringing 
the idea for this bill to my attention. Dr. Karlan is the Past 
President of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists. She is a 
physician, teacher, and advocate in the field of gynecologic cancer and 
has helped numerous women in their battle with these diseases. She has 
also testified before Congress about the need for increased research 
and funding for gynecologic cancers. Her efforts are to be commended.
  I also want to acknowledge Lindy Graham, a dear friend of mine, 
afflicted by ovarian cancer. Lindy has waged a spirited and successful 
battle against this disease and is currently cancer free, a 
pronouncement that fills me and all of Lindy's myriad of friends with 
great joy.
  Madam Speaker, I look forward to the passage of this bill and the day 
when all cases of ovarian cancer are detected early and all women 
diagnosed with this disease survive.

                          ____________________