III 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 727 

Designating September 2020 as ‘‘National Ovarian Cancer Awareness 

Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 30 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 29), 2020 

Ms. STABENOW (for herself, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. BROWN, 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. PETERS, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, and 

Mrs. CAPITO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 2020 as ‘‘National Ovarian Cancer 

Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer 

deaths in women in the United States and accounts for 

more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system; 

Whereas, in the United States, a woman’s lifetime risk of 

being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is about 1 in 78; 

Whereas the American Cancer Society estimates 21,750 new 

cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in 2020 and 

13,940 people will die from the disease nationwide; 


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Whereas the 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 46.5 

percent, and survival rates vary greatly depending on the 

stage of diagnosis; 

Whereas the 5-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is over 

90 percent for women diagnosed in early stages; 

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

easier for women to learn and remember those symptoms; 

Whereas too many people remain 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 vague symptoms that are 

often easily confused with other diseases; 

Whereas improved awareness of the symptoms of ovarian 

cancer by the public and health care providers can lead 

to a quicker diagnosis; 

Whereas the lack of an early detection test for ovarian cancer, combined with its vague symptoms, mean 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 


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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 a woman’s 

risk 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 women who know that they are at high risk of ovarian cancer may undertake prophylactic measures to help 

reduce the risk of developing this disease; 

Whereas guidelines issued by the National Comprehensive 

Cancer Network (NCCN) and the Society of Gynecologic 

Oncology (SGO) recommend that all individuals diagnosed with ovarian cancer receive genetic counseling and 

genetic testing regardless of their family history; 

Whereas studies consistently show that compliance with such 

guidelines is alarmingly low, with recently published National Cancer Institute-funded research finding that in 

2013 and 2014, only 1⁄3 of ovarian cancer survivors had 

undergone such testing; 

Whereas, according to a 2016 consensus report by the National Academy of Medicine, ‘‘there remain surprising 

gaps in the fundamental knowledge about and understanding of ovarian cancer’’ across all aspects of the disease; 

Whereas ongoing investments in ovarian cancer research and 

education and awareness efforts are critical to closing 

these gaps and improving survivorship for women with 

ovarian cancer; 

Whereas, each year during the month of September, the 

Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) and its comVerDate Sep 11 2014 07:17 Oct 01, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR727.IS SR727

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munity partners hold a number of events to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms; and 

Whereas September 2020 should be designated as ‘‘National 

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month’’ to increase public 

awareness of ovarian cancer: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 2020 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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