III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 278 

Designating September 2011 as ‘‘National Prostate Cancer Awareness 

Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 

Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. WICKER, Mr. 

BROWN of Massachusetts, Mr. KERRY, Mr. SHELBY, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. 

JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. LEE, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. AKAKA, Mrs. 

BOXER, Mr. KIRK, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. JOHANNS, and Mr. BLUNT) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 2011 as ‘‘National Prostate Cancer 

Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas countless families in the United States live with 

prostate cancer; 

Whereas 1 in 6 males in the United States will be diagnosed 

with prostate cancer in his lifetime; 

Whereas prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed 

non-skin cancer and the second most common cause of 

cancer-related deaths among males in the United States; 

Whereas in 2011, the American Cancer Society estimates 

that 240,890 males in the United States will be diagVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:10 Sep 23, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR278.ATS SR278

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nosed with prostate cancer, and 33,720 males will die 

from the disease; 

Whereas 30 percent of newly diagnosed prostate cancer cases 

occur in males under the age of 65; 

Whereas approximately every 14 seconds, a male in the 

United States turns 50 years old and increases his odds 

of developing cancer, including prostate cancer; 

Whereas African-American males suffer from a prostate cancer incidence rate that is up to 65 percent higher than 

White males and have double the prostate cancer mortality rate of White males; 

Whereas obesity is a significant predictor of the severity of 

prostate cancer; 

Whereas the probability that obesity will lead to death and 

high cholesterol levels is strongly associated with advanced prostate cancer; 

Whereas males in the United States with 1 family member 

diagnosed with prostate cancer have a 1 in 3 chance of 

being diagnosed with the disease, males with 2 family 

members diagnosed have an 83 percent chance, and 

males with 3 family members diagnosed have a 97 percent chance; 

Whereas screening by a digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen blood test can detect the disease at 

the early stages, increasing the chances of survival for 

more than 5 years to nearly 100 percent; 

Whereas only 33 percent of males survive more than 5 years 

if diagnosed during the late stages of the disease; 


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Whereas there are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer 

while it is still in the early stages, making screening critical; 

Whereas ongoing research promises further improvements in 

prostate cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment; and 

Whereas educating people in the United States, including 

health care providers, about prostate cancer and early detection strategies is crucial to saving the lives of males 

and preserving and protecting families: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 2011 as ‘‘National 

3 Prostate Cancer Awareness Month’’; 

4 (2) declares that steps should be taken— 

5 (A) to raise awareness about the impor6 tance of screening methods for, and treatment 

7 of, prostate cancer; 

8 (B) to increase research funding that is 

9 commensurate with the burden of prostate can10 cer so that— 

11 (i) screening and treatment for pros12 tate cancer may be improved; 

13 (ii) the causes of prostate cancer may 

14 be discovered; and 

15 (iii) a cure for prostate cancer may be 

16 developed; and 


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1 (C) to continue to consider ways for im2 proving access to, and the quality of, health 

3 care services for detecting and treating prostate 

4 cancer; and 

5 (3) calls on the people of the United States, in6 terested groups, and affected persons— 

7 (A) to promote awareness of prostate can8 cer; 

9 (B) to take an active role in the fight to 

10 end the devastating effects of prostate cancer 

11 on individuals, families, and the economy; and 

12 (C) to observe National Prostate Cancer 

13 Awareness Month with appropriate ceremonies 

14 and activities. 

Æ 


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