III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 659 

Designating September 2018 as ‘‘National Ovarian Cancer Awareness 

Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 

Ms. STABENOW (for herself, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. KING, Mr. BROWN, Mr. 

VAN HOLLEN, Mr. PETERS, and Mr. BLUMENTHAL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 2018 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 2018 in the United States, approximately 22,240 

new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,070 

women will die of ovarian cancer; 

Whereas the mortality rate for ovarian cancer has not significantly decreased since the ‘‘War on Cancer’’ was declared 

more than 40 years ago; 


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•SRES 659 IS 

Whereas 1⁄4 of women will die within 1 year of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer and more than 1⁄2 will die 

within 5 years of that diagnosis; 

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 30 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; 


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•SRES 659 IS 

Whereas, as of 2018, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology 

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

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; 

Whereas, in June 2007, the first national consensus statement on ovarian cancer symptoms was developed to provide consistency in describing symptoms to make it easier 

for women to learn and remember those symptoms; and 

Whereas, each year during the month of September, the 

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance and community 

partners hold a number of events to increase public 

awareness of ovarian cancer: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 2018 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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