[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ACT

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I wish to speak about a devastating 
illness, pancreatic cancer, and what we in the Senate can do to address 
this serious problem. Winston Churchill once said, ``Healthy citizens 
are the greatest asset any country can have.'' I could not agree more.
  Pancreatic cancer is a serious disease that affects over 42,000 
Americans each year. We have made great strides to expand cancer 
research and improve treatments, but unfortunately pancreatic cancer 
research is where breast cancer research was in the 1930s. The survival 
rate for pancreatic cancer today is the same as it was 30 years ago. We 
have little understanding of the causes, no methods of early detection, 
few effective treatments, and single-digit survival rates.
  Pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in the 
United States, and 75 percent of pancreatic cancer patients die within 
a year of diagnosis; the 5-year survival rate is barely 5 percent.
  According to a recent report on cancer trends, death rates for 
pancreatic cancer are increasing while death rates for all cancers 
combined, including the four most common cancers, prostate, breast, 
lung and colorectal, continue to decline. It is time to do something 
about this tragedy, this death sentence for tens of thousands of 
Americans.
  It is time to make a serious commitment to ensure that advances in 
pancreatic cancer research keep up with the progress we have seen in 
fighting other types of cancers. That is why I am proud to be a 
cosponsor of S. 362, the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act, 
introduced by the Senator from Rhode Island, Mr. Whitehouse. This 
legislation is designed to address the shortfalls in pancreatic cancer 
research by developing a comprehensive, strategic annual plan for 
pancreatic cancer research and awareness activities.
  The Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act would better target 
research, develop a cadre of committed scientists, promote physician 
and public awareness and require accountability for these efforts. The 
bill creates a 5-year pilot project for the highest mortality cancers, 
defined as those with 5-year survival rates below 50 percent. It builds 
upon the Specialized Programs of Research Excellence, SPOREs, that 
exist for breast and prostate cancer by designating at least two 
additional pancreatic cancer SPOREs.
  Finally, the bill promotes physician and public awareness through 
partnerships between the National Institutes of Health, NIH, and 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, and patient advocacy 
organizations to develop a primary care provider education program.
  The most important thing that we in Congress can do for those who 
have pancreatic cancer is to resolve to find new ways to improve 
treatments for those suffering from this devastating disease.
  The health of our citizens is not a Democratic or Republican issue, 
it is an American priority and one we must all champion. The well-being 
of our country depends on the well-being of our citizens.
  I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in supporting S. 362, the 
Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act.

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