III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 341 

Designating September 2019 as ‘‘National Ovarian Cancer Awareness 

Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 

Ms. STABENOW (for herself, Mr. CARPER, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BROWN, 

and Mr. MENENDEZ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 2019 as ‘‘National Ovarian Cancer 

Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic 

cancers; 

Whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer 

deaths among women in the United States; 

Whereas, in 2019 in the United States, approximately 22,530 

new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 13,980 

women will die of ovarian cancer; 

Whereas more than 1⁄2 of the women diagnosed with ovarian 

cancer will die within 5 years of that diagnosis; 


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•SRES 341 IS 

Whereas, while the mammogram can detect breast cancer and 

the Pap smear can detect cervical cancer, there is no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer; 

Whereas the lack of an early detection test means that approximately 80 percent of cases of ovarian cancer are detected at an advanced stage; 

Whereas all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but approximately 20 percent of women who are diagnosed with 

ovarian cancer have a hereditary predisposition to ovarian cancer, which places them at even higher risk; 

Whereas scientists and physicians have uncovered changes in 

the BRCA genes that some women inherit from their 

parents, which may make those women as much as 35 

times more likely to develop ovarian cancer; 

Whereas the family history of a woman has been found to 

play an important role in accurately assessing the risk of 

that woman of developing ovarian cancer, and medical experts believe that family history should be taken into consideration during the annual well-woman visit of any 

woman; 

Whereas many experts in health prevention now recommend 

genetic testing for young women with a family history of 

breast and ovarian cancer; 

Whereas women who know that they are at high risk of 

breast and ovarian cancer may undertake prophylactic 

measures to help reduce the risk of developing those diseases; 

Whereas clinical trials are fundamental to the discovery of 

new and better therapies in the fight against ovarian cancer and can offer some patients their best hope for treatment; 


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•SRES 341 IS 

Whereas the Society of Gynecologic Oncology recommends 

that all women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer receive counseling and genetic testing; 

Whereas testing somatic tumors can provide critical information to help effectively treat patients with ovarian cancer; 

Whereas many people are unaware that the symptoms of 

ovarian cancer often include bloating, pelvic or abdominal 

pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, urinary 

symptoms, and several other symptoms that are easily 

confused with other diseases; 

Whereas awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer by 

women and health care providers can lead to a quicker 

diagnosis; and 

Whereas, each year during the month of September, the 

Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance and community partners hold hundreds of events to increase public awareness 

of ovarian cancer: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 2019 as ‘‘National 

3 Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month’’; and 

4 (2) supports the goals and ideals of National 

5 Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. 

Æ 


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