I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3186
To provide for an awareness program, and a study, on a rare form of
breast cancer.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 30, 2001
Mr. KING (for himself, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. UPTON, Mr.
WYNN, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. LOBIONDO,
Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. BAKER, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr.
SANDLIN, Mr. OWENS, Mr. MASCARA, and Mrs. MCCARTHY 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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Paget’s Cancer Aware-
ness Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Paget’s disease of the breast is a rare can-
cer of the nipple, accounting for a small fraction of
all breast cancers. The cancer is a different disease
than any other, not to be confused with Paget’s dis-
ease, a devastating bone disease.
(2) In Paget’s disease of the breast, the abnor-
mal cells begin growing in the milk ducts of the nip-
ple and can develop into a tumor.
(3) The cancer usually appears in women, but
can also affect males.
(4) It is a slow growing cancer, and with proper
treatment can be cured.
(5) The symptoms of the cancer appear to be
harmless. The symptoms in the nipple closely resem-
ble a skin inflammation (dermatitis) or infection.
This can lead to unfortunate delays in detection and
care.
(6) By the time the cancer is diagnosed, many
patients have a palpable mass. The underlying can-
cer may be invasive or in situ.
(7) Standard treatment is identical to that for
other forms of breast cancer, and the prognosis de-
pends on the invasiveness and size of the tumor and
the presence or absence of lymph node involvement.
SEC. 3. PROGRAMS REGARDING PAGET’S CANCER.
(a) AWARENESS
PROGRAM.—The Secretary of
Health and Human Services (in this section referred to
as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall carry out a program to provide
information and education to health professionals and the
general public on the symptoms of and treatment for
Paget’s disease of the breast.
(b) STUDY.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct
a study for the purpose of carrying out the following
with respect to Paget’s disease of the breast:
(A) Collecting data to identify the full
range of symptoms associated with the disease,
and to identify the average time elapsing be-
tween the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis
and treatment of the disease.
(B) Collecting demographic data regarding
the disease, including data specific to the preva-
lence of the disease in demographic populations
according to race, ethnicity, gender, age, and
geographic region of residence.
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 24 months after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
shall complete the study under paragraph (1) and
submit to the Congress a report describing the find-
ings made in the study.
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for
each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2004.
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