IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 746 

Supporting the designation of September 2023 as ‘‘National Ovarian Cancer 

Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 

Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr. BACON, Mr. ISSA, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Ms. 

CROCKETT, Mrs. TORRES of California, and Mrs. HAYES) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight 

and Accountability 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the designation of September 2023 as ‘‘National 

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer 

deaths of women in the United States and causes more 

deaths than any other gynecologic cancer; 

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 19,710 cases 

of ovarian cancer will be newly diagnosed in 2023 and 

13,940 individuals will die from the disease nationwide; 

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

percent and survival rates vary greatly depending on the 

stage of diagnosis; 


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•HRES 746 IH 

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

90 percent for individuals 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 to make it easier 

for women to learn and remember those symptoms; 

Whereas Black women with ovarian cancer are more likely to 

have late-stage diagnoses, receive lower quality clinical 

services, and have lower 5-year survival rates than nonBlack women; 

Whereas Black women have a 5-year ovarian cancer mortality 

rate of 62 percent, while the 5-year ovarian cancer mortality rate is 54 percent for White women; 

Whereas women of color, low-income women, and women living in rural areas have more barriers to accessing a 

standard quality of care and are more likely to receive 

care at a facility that has poorer adherence to National 

Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment 

guidelines; 

Whereas the proportion of ovarian cancer cases in women 

serving on active duty who are less than 45 years of age 

is substantially greater than in the general population; 

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; 


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•HRES 746 IH 

Whereas improved awareness of the symptoms of ovarian 

cancer by the pubic and health care providers can lead 

to quicker diagnoses and improved outcomes; 

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 issues collecting and reporting data on treatment 

and outcomes related to ovarian cancer risk, especially 

for underserved communities and marginalized populations, can impede the development of effective policy; 

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 her 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 those women who have a family history of ovarian 

or breast cancer should consider genetic testing and 

counseling to determine whether their risk of developing 

a heritable cancer is elevated; 

Whereas women who know that they are at high risk of ovarian cancer may undertake prophylactic measures like an 


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•HRES 746 IH 

opportunistic salpingectomy to help reduce the risk of developing this disease; 

Whereas guidelines issued by the NCCN and the Society of 

Gynecologic Oncology 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 these 

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

2013 and 2014, only one-third of ovarian cancer survivors have 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 and community partner organizations hold a number of events to increase public 

awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms; and 

Whereas September 2023 should be designated as ‘‘National 

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month’’ to increase public 

awareness of ovarian cancer: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘National Ovar3 ian Cancer Awareness Month’’; and 


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1 (2) supports the goals and ideals of ‘‘National 

2 Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month’’. 

Æ 


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