S.Res. 445 — Introduced in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 445 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 14, 2014 Mrs. Feinstein (for herself and Mr. Isakson) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Recognizing the importance of cancer research and the contributions of scientists, clinicians, and patient advocates across the United States who are dedicated to finding a cure for cancer, and designating May 2014 as National Cancer Research Month. Whereas in 2014, cancer remains one of the most pressing public health concerns in the United States; Whereas in 2014, more than 1,600,000 individuals in the United States are expected to be diagnosed with cancer and more than 585,000 individuals in the United States are expected to die from the disease; Whereas 1 in 2 men in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer during his lifetime, and 1 in 3 women in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer during her lifetime; Whereas 77 percent of individuals diagnosed with cancer are over the age of 55; Whereas cancer accounts for approximately 1 in every 4 deaths, is the second most common cause of disease-related death in the United States, and is projected to become the number 1 disease-related killer of individuals in the United States; Whereas racial and ethnic minorities, as well as low-income and elderly populations, continue to suffer disproportionately in cancer incidence, prevalence, and mortality; Whereas the term cancer refers to more than 200 diseases that collectively represent— (1) the leading cause of death for individuals in the United States under the age of 85; and (2) the second leading cause of death for all individuals in the United States; Whereas cancer is expected to cost the United States economy an estimated $216,000,000,000 in 2014, and the economic burden of cancer is expected to rise as the number of cancer deaths increases; Whereas the United States investment in cancer research has yielded substantial advances in cancer research and has saved many lives; Whereas scholars estimate that every 1 percent decline in cancer mortality saves the United States economy $500,000,000,000; Whereas advancements in understanding the causes, mechanisms, diagnoses, treatment, and prevention of cancer have led to cures for many types of cancer and have converted other types of cancer into manageable chronic conditions; Whereas the 5-year survival rate for all types of cancer was greater than 65 percent in 2011, improving between 1981 and 2011, and more than 13,700,000 cancer survivors were living in the United States in 2011; Whereas therapy and effective screening tools for some types of cancer remain elusive, and some cancers, including pancreatic, liver, lung, ovarian, and brain cancer, continue to have extraordinarily high mortality rates and 5-year survival rates that are typically less than 50 percent; Whereas partnerships among research scientists, the general public, cancer survivors, patient advocates, philanthropic organizations, industry, and Federal, State, and local governments have led to advanced breakthroughs, early detection tools that have increased survival rates, and a better quality of life for cancer survivors; Whereas precision medicine holds great promise in treating cancer; and Whereas advances in cancer research have had significant implications for the treatment of other costly diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, HIV/AIDS, and macular degeneration: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) recognizes the importance of cancer research and the invaluable contributions of researchers in the United States and around the world who are dedicated to reversing the cancer epidemic; (2) designates May 2014 as National Cancer Research Month; and (3) supports efforts to establish cancer research as a national and international priority to eventually eliminate the more than 200 diseases that collectively represent cancer.