I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 822 

To provide for an awareness program, and a study, on a rare form of 

breast cancer. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 3, 2009 

Mr. KING of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To provide for an awareness program, and a study, on a 

rare form of breast cancer. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Paget’s Cancer Aware5 ness Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 The Congress finds as follows: 

8 (1) Paget’s disease of the breast is a rare can9 cer of the nipple, accounting for a small fraction of 

10 all breast cancers. The cancer is a different disease 


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1 than any other, not to be confused with Paget’s dis2 ease, a devastating bone disease. 

3 (2) In Paget’s disease of the breast, the abnor4 mal cells begin growing in the milk ducts of the nip5 ple and can develop into a tumor. 

6 (3) The cancer usually appears in women, but 

7 can also affect males. 

8 (4) It is a slow growing cancer, and with proper 

9 treatment can be cured. 

10 (5) The symptoms of the cancer appear to be 

11 harmless. The symptoms in the nipple closely resem12 ble a skin inflammation (dermatitis) or infection. 

13 This can lead to unfortunate delays in detection and 

14 care. 

15 (6) By the time the cancer is diagnosed, many 

16 patients have a palpable mass. The underlying can17 cer may be invasive or in situ. 

18 (7) Standard treatment is identical to that for 

19 other forms of breast cancer, and the prognosis de20 pends on the invasiveness and size of the tumor and 

21 the presence or absence of lymph node involvement. 

22 SEC. 3. PROGRAMS REGARDING PAGET’S CANCER. 

23 (a) AWARENESS PROGRAM.—The Secretary of 

24 Health and Human Services (in this section referred to 

25 as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall carry out a program to provide 


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1 information and education to health professionals and the 

2 general public on the symptoms of and treatment for 

3 Paget’s disease of the breast. 

4 (b) STUDY.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct 

6 a study for the purpose of carrying out the following 

7 with respect to Paget’s disease of the breast: 

8 (A) Collecting data to identify the full 

9 range of symptoms associated with the disease, 

10 and to identify the average time elapsing be11 tween the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis 

12 and treatment of the disease. 

13 (B) Collecting demographic data regarding 

14 the disease, including data specific to the preva15 lence of the disease in demographic populations 

16 according to race, ethnicity, gender, age, and 

17 geographic region of residence. 

18 (2) REPORT.—Not later than 24 months after 

19 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

20 shall complete the study under paragraph (1) and 

21 submit to the Congress a report describing the find22 ings made in the study. 

23 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

24 purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 


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1 to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 

2 each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2012. 

Æ 


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