IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1203 

Expressing support for the designation of July 17, 2024, as ‘‘Glioblastoma 

Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 6, 2024 

Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas (for himself, Mr. MAST, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, and Mr. 

AUCHINCLOSS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of July 17, 2024, 

as ‘‘Glioblastoma Awareness Day’’. 

Whereas approximately 14,490 new cases of glioblastoma 

were diagnosed in the United States in 2023; 

Whereas glioblastoma is— 

(1) the most common malignant (cancerous) brain 

tumor, accounting for approximately 1⁄2 of all primary 

malignant brain tumors; and 

(2) the most aggressive, complex, difficult to treat, 

and deadly type of brain tumor; 

Whereas it is estimated that more than 10,000 individuals in 

the United States will succumb to glioblastoma each year; 


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•HRES 1203 IH 

Whereas the 5-year survival rate for glioblastoma patients is 

only 6.9 percent, and the median length of survival for 

glioblastoma patients is only 8 months; 

Whereas glioblastoma is described as a disease that affects 

the ‘‘essence of self’’, as the treatment and removal of 

glioblastoma presents significant challenges due to the 

uniquely complex and fragile nature of the brain, the primary organ in the human body that controls not only 

cognitive ability, but also the actions of every organ and 

limb; 

Whereas patients and caregivers play a critical role in furthering research for glioblastoma; 

Whereas, relative to other types of cancers, brain cancer patients pay the second highest out-of-pocket costs for medical services in both the initial and end-of-life phases of 

care; 

Whereas, although research advances may fuel the development of new treatments for glioblastoma, challenging obstacles to accelerating progress toward new treatments 

for glioblastoma remain, and there are no screening or 

early detection methods; 

Whereas, in 2021, the World Health Organization reclassified 

brain tumors and made significant changes to the molecular characteristics of a glioblastoma diagnosis, necessitating critical biomarker testing for patients suspected of 

having a possible glioblastoma; 

Whereas, although glioblastoma was first described in medical 

and scientific literature in the 1920s, and despite its devastating prognosis, only 5 drugs and 1 medical device 

have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to specifically treat glioblastoma since the 1920s, 


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•HRES 1203 IH 

and the mortality rates associated with glioblastoma have 

changed little during the past 30 years; 

Whereas, since the first Glioblastoma Awareness Day, the 

National Cancer Institute established the Glioblastoma 

Therapeutics Network (referred to in this preamble as 

‘‘GTN’’) in 2020 as part of a national infrastructure to 

enhance and support the discovery and development of 

glioblastoma therapies available for multi-institutional 

GTN teams to drive therapeutic agents through preclinical studies and early phase clinical trials, which are 

necessary to rapidly evaluate potential treatments to advance toward cures and improved quality of life; 

Whereas there is a need for greater public awareness of glioblastoma, including awareness of both— 

(1) the urgent unmet medical needs of glioblastoma 

patients; and 

(2) the opportunities for research of, and treatment 

advances for, glioblastoma; and 

Whereas the House of Representatives supports designating 

July 17, 2024, as ‘‘Glioblastoma Awareness Day’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses support for the designation of 

3 ‘‘Glioblastoma Awareness Day’’; 

4 (2) encourages increased public awareness of 

5 glioblastoma; 

6 (3) honors the individuals who have died from 

7 the devastating disease of glioblastoma or are cur8 rently living with the disease; 


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•HRES 1203 IH 

1 (4) supports efforts to develop better treat2 ments for glioblastoma that will improve the long3 term prognosis for, and the quality of life of, individ4 uals diagnosed with the disease; 

5 (5) recognizes the importance of molecular bio6 marker testing to the diagnosis and treatment of 

7 glioblastoma; 

8 (6) expresses support for the individuals who 

9 are battling brain tumors, as well as the families, 

10 friends, and caregivers of those individuals; 

11 (7) urges a collaborative approach to brain 

12 tumor research among governmental, private, and 

13 nonprofit organizations, which is a promising means 

14 of advancing the understanding and treatment of 

15 glioblastoma; and 

16 (8) encourages continued investments in glio17 blastoma research and treatments, including through 

18 the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network and other 

19 existing brain tumor research resources. 

Æ 


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