III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 347 

Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Cancer Act of 1971 and 

the more than 12,000,000 survivors of cancer alive today because of 

the commitment of the United States to cancer research and advances 

in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 13, 2011 

Mr. BROWN of Ohio (for himself, Mr. MORAN, Mr. KERRY, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, 

Mr. CARDIN, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. 

TESTER, Mr. CASEY, Mr. INOUYE, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. HARKIN, Mrs. 

MCCASKILL, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. FRANKEN, 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. NELSON of Nebraska, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. MERKLEY, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. COONS, Mr. MENENDEZ, 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. 

REED, Mr. BENNET, Mr. WYDEN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. KOHL, Mr. 

BROWN of Massachusetts, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. 

BOOZMAN, Mr. HELLER, Mrs. HUTCHISON, Mr. WICKER, Mr. BURR, Mr. 

KIRK, Mr. REID, and Mr. GRASSLEY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

DECEMBER 15, 2011 

Committee discharged; considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Cancer 

Act of 1971 and the more than 12,000,000 survivors 

of cancer alive today because of the commitment of the 

United States to cancer research and advances in cancer 

prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment. 


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SRES 347 ATS 

Whereas 40 years ago, with the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971 (Public Law 92–218; 85 Stat. 778), the 

leaders of the United States came together to set the 

country on a concerted course to conquer cancer through 

research; 

Whereas the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971 led 

to the establishment of the National Cancer Program, 

which significantly expanded the authorities and responsibilities of the National Cancer Institute, a component of 

the National Institutes of Health; 

Whereas the term ‘‘cancer’’ refers to more than 200 diseases 

that collectively represent the leading cause of death for 

people in the United States under the age of 85, and the 

second leading cause of death for people in the United 

States overall; 

Whereas cancer touches everyone, either through a direct, 

personal diagnosis or indirectly through the diagnosis of 

a family member or friend; 

Whereas, in 2011, cancer remains one of the most pressing 

public health concerns in the United States, with more 

than 1,500,000 people in the United States expected to 

be diagnosed with cancer each year; 

Whereas the National Institutes of Health estimated the 

overall cost of cancer to be greater than 

$260,000,000,000 in 2010 alone; 

Whereas approximately 1 out of every 3 women and 1 out of 

every 2 men will develop cancer in their lifetimes, and 

more than 570,000 people in the United States will die 

from cancer this year, which is more than 1 person every 

minute and nearly 1 out of every 4 deaths; 


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SRES 347 ATS 

Whereas the commitment of the United States to cancer research and biomedical science has enabled more than 

12,000,000 people in the United States to survive cancer, 

15 percent of whom were diagnosed 20 or more years 

ago, and has resulted in extraordinary progress being 

made against cancer, including— 

(1) an increase in the average 5-year survival rate 

for all cancers combined to 68 percent for adults and 80 

percent for children and adolescents, up from 50 percent 

and 52 percent, respectively, in 1971; 

(2) average 5-year survival rates for breast and 

prostate cancers exceeding 90 percent; 

(3) a decline in mortality due to colorectal cancer 

and prostate cancer; and 

(4) from 1990 to 2007, a decline in the death rate 

from all cancers combined of 22 percent for men and 14 

percent for women, resulting in nearly 900,000 fewer 

deaths during that period; 

Whereas the driving force behind this progress has been support for the National Cancer Institute and its parent 

agency, the National Institutes of Health, which funds 

the work of more than 325,000 researchers and research 

personnel at more than 3,000 universities, medical 

schools, medical centers, teaching hospitals, small businesses, and research institutions in every State; 

Whereas the commitment of the United States to cancer research has yielded substantial returns in both research 

advances and lives saved, and it is estimated that every 

1 percent decline in cancer mortality saves the economy 

of the United States $500,000,000,000 annually; 

Whereas advancements in understanding the causes and 

mechanisms of cancer and improvements in the detection, 


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SRES 347 ATS 

diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer have led 

to cures for many types of cancers and have converted 

other types of cancers into manageable chronic conditions; 

Whereas continued support for clinical trials to evaluate the 

efficacy and therapeutic benefit of promising treatments 

for cancer is essential for translating new knowledge and 

discoveries into tangible benefits for patients, especially 

because all standard cancer therapies began as clinical 

trials; 

Whereas, despite the significant progress that has been made 

in treating many cancers, there remain those cancers for 

which the mortality rate is extraordinarily high, including 

pancreatic, liver, lung, multiple myeloma, ovarian, esophageal, stomach, and brain cancers, which have a 5-year 

survival rate of less than 50 percent; 

Whereas research advances concerning uncommon cancers, 

which pose unique treatment challenges, provide an opportunity for understanding the general properties of 

human cancers and curing uncommon cancers as well as 

more common cancers; 

Whereas crucial developments have been achieved in cancer 

research that could provide breakthroughs necessary to 

address the increasing incidence of, and reduce deaths 

caused by, many forms of cancer; 

Whereas research into the effect of certain forms of cancer 

on different population groups offers a significant opportunity to lessen the burden of the disease, because many 

population groups across the country suffer disproportionately from certain forms of cancer; and 


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SRES 347 ATS 

Whereas a sustained commitment to the research of the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute is necessary to improve the entire spectrum of patient care, from cancer prevention, early detection, and 

diagnosis, to treatment and long-term survivorship, and 

to prevent research advances from being stalled or delayed: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the 40th anniversary of the Na3 tional Cancer Act of 1971 (Public Law 92–218; 85 

4 Stat. 778); and 

5 (2) celebrates and reaffirms the commitment 

6 embodied in the National Cancer Act of 1971, spe7 cifically, that support for cancer research continues 

8 to be a national priority to address the scope of this 

9 pressing public health concern. 

Æ 


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