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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 912 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 912

 Designating November 2024 as ``National Lung Cancer Awareness Month'' 
   and expressing support for early detection and treatment of lung 
                                cancer.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 21, 2024

  Ms. Smith (for herself, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Durbin, Ms. 
  Hirono, and Mr. Reed) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Designating November 2024 as ``National Lung Cancer Awareness Month'' 
   and expressing support for early detection and treatment of lung 
                                cancer.

Whereas lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among 
        individuals in the United States, accounting for more deaths than colon 
        cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined;
Whereas, in 2024, an estimated 234,580 individuals in the United States will be 
        diagnosed with lung cancer, and 125,070 individuals (approximately 340 
        individuals per day) will die from the disease;
Whereas 1 in 16 men and 1 in 17 women in the United States will develop lung 
        cancer during their lifetimes;
Whereas, each year, more women die from lung cancer than breast cancer and 
        ovarian cancer combined;
Whereas women who never smoked are more likely than men who never smoked to get 
        lung cancer;
Whereas, in 2024, 20,300 people will die from lung cancer unrelated to smoking, 
        which would be the eighth leading cause of cancer death if classified as 
        a separate disease;
Whereas approximately 10 to 20 percent of lung cancer diagnoses occur in people 
        who are non-smokers, and the proportion of lung cancer diagnoses in 
        individuals who have never smoked is increasing in the United States;
Whereas, in 2024, approximately 101,300 of the 125,070 lung cancer deaths (81 
        percent) will be caused by cigarette smoking directly, and secondhand 
        smoke causes over 7,300 lung cancer deaths each year in adults who do 
        not smoke;
Whereas the 5-year survival rate is 65 percent for those diagnosed with 
        localized lung cancer and 9 percent for those diagnosed at a stage when 
        the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body;
Whereas only 3 to 7 percent of individuals in the United States at high risk for 
        lung cancer undergo lung cancer screening;
Whereas geographic availability of facilities and transportation barriers are 
        persistent challenges to lung cancer screening;
Whereas nearly 70 percent of adults are not familiar with lung cancer screening 
        and the low-dose computed tomography scan;
Whereas lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in veterans;
Whereas veterans are 25 percent more likely to develop lung cancer compared to 
        the general public, and, although approximately 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 
        veterans have an elevated risk of lung cancer and are eligible for 
        screening, less than 3 percent of veterans get screened;
Whereas Black men have the highest incidence of lung cancer and the highest 
        mortality rate from lung cancer in the United States, and nonwhite 
        individuals are 14 to 17 percent less likely to be diagnosed with lung 
        cancer early;
Whereas the number of individuals in the United States recommended to receive 
        lung cancer screening was estimated to be 14,500,000 as of 2021;
Whereas the stigma surrounding lung cancer--

    (1) creates barriers to early diagnosis, treatment, and research; and

    (2) has a detrimental impact on the quality of life of lung cancer 
patients;

Whereas lung cancer research is leading to breakthroughs in biomarker 
        identification and the development of immunotherapies and targeted 
        therapies that are highly effective for some cancer subtypes, yet 
        accessing cutting edge testing as part of the lung cancer diagnostic 
        process can be difficult; and
Whereas educational efforts can increase awareness of lung cancer and lung 
        cancer screening among the general public, patients and their families, 
        and health care workers, thereby increasing the early detection of lung 
        cancer: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates November 2024 as ``National Lung Cancer 
        Awareness Month'';
            (2) designates the first week of November 2024 as 
        ``National Women's Lung Cancer Awareness Week'';
            (3) designates the second Saturday of November 2024 as 
        ``National Lung Cancer Screening Day'';
            (4) supports the purposes and ideals of National Lung 
        Cancer Awareness Month;
            (5) promotes efforts to increase awareness of, education 
        about, and research on--
                    (A) mitigation of risk factors;
                    (B) lung cancer screening;
                    (C) treatment of lung cancer; and
                    (D) lung cancer affecting minorities and 
                individuals who have never smoked; and
            (6) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        National Lung Cancer Awareness Month with appropriate awareness 
        and educational activities.
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