I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4897 
To require a study on women and lung cancer, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 30, 2018 
Mr. LOBIONDO (for himself, Mr. NOLAN, Ms. BONAMICI, and Mrs. COM-
STOCK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require a study on women and lung cancer, and for 
other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Women and Lung Can-
cer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) According to the American Cancer Society, 
in the United States, approximately 193 women die 
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each day of lung cancer, or about one woman every 
7 minutes. 
(2) Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer 
death among women. 
(3) The American Cancer Society estimates 
that 70,500 women will die of lung cancer in 2018. 
(4) Studies have shown a higher incidence rate 
of lung cancer for women who were never smokers 
compared to men who were never smokers. 
(5) According to the 2014 report, ‘‘The Health 
Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A 
Report of the Surgeon General, 2014’’, the relative 
risk of developing lung cancer increased tenfold 
among female smokers between 1959 and 2010. 
(6) According to the American Cancer Society, 
approximately 40 percent of lung cancers are adeno-
carcinoma, a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer, 
which is the most common type of cancer seen in 
non-smokers and is more common in women than in 
men. 
(7) Exposure to radon accounts for approxi-
mately 21,000 deaths from lung cancer each year 
and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smok-
ers. 
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(8) A Government Accountability Office report 
published on October 22, 2015, called for the Na-
tional Institutes of Health to do more in evaluating 
gender differences in research. 
(9) Additional research strategies and clinical 
trials are necessary to explore the differences in lung 
cancer risk factors, incidence, and treatment re-
sponse in women, and to address the disparate im-
pact of lung cancer on women who have never 
smoked. 
(10) Lung cancer screening, which can detect 
lung cancer at its earliest, most curable stage, is a 
covered service available without cost-sharing for 
those at high risk. 
(11) Published peer-reviewed actuarial studies 
indicate that lung cancer screening individuals at 
high risk is cost-effective. 
(12) The National Framework of Excellence in 
Lung Cancer Screening and Continuum of Care, 
launched in 2012, demonstrated that lung cancer 
screening can be safely and effectively carried out in 
community hospital settings around the Nation. 
(13) Information on the impact of lung cancer 
on women and the importance of early detection 
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should be incorporated into all relevant public health 
awareness campaigns. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING WOMEN AND 
LUNG CANCER. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) there is a disparate impact of lung cancer 
on women and, in particular, on women who have 
never smoked; 
(2) additional research strategies to explore the 
differences in women with respect to lung cancer 
risk factors, incidence, histology, and response to 
treatment are justified and necessary; 
(3) the implementation of lung cancer preven-
tive services for women should be accelerated; and 
(4) the public health agencies of the Federal 
Government should coordinate public education and 
awareness programs on the impact of lung cancer on 
women and the importance of early detection. 
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SEC. 4. STUDY TO EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDA-
TIONS FOR THE ACCELERATION OF RE-
SEARCH ON WOMEN AND LUNG CANCER, 
GREATER ACCESS TO PREVENTIVE SERV-
ICES, AND STRATEGIC PUBLIC AWARENESS 
AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS. 
(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense 
and Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct an inter-
agency study to evaluate the status of, and make rec-
ommendations for increased— 
(1) research on women and lung cancer; 
(2) access to lung cancer preventive services; 
and 
(3) strategic public awareness and education 
campaigns on lung cancer. 
(b) CONTENT.—The study and recommendations 
under subsection (a) shall include— 
(1) a review and comprehensive report on the 
outcomes of previous research, the status of existing 
research activities, and knowledge gaps related to 
women and lung cancer in all agencies of the Fed-
eral Government; 
(2) specific recommendations for a collabo-
rative, interagency, multidisciplinary, and innovative 
research program, that would— 
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(A) encourage innovative approaches to 
eliminate knowledge gaps in research; 
(B) evaluate environmental and genomic 
factors that may be related to the etiology of 
lung cancer in women; and 
(C) foster advances in imaging technology 
to improve risk assessment, diagnosis, treat-
ment, and the simultaneous application of other 
preventive services; 
(3) recommendations for the development of a 
national lung cancer screening strategy with suffi-
cient infrastructure and personnel resources to ex-
pand access to such screening, particularly among 
underserved populations; and 
(4) recommendations for the development of a 
national public education and awareness campaign 
on women and lung cancer and the importance of 
early detection of lung cancer. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall submit to Congress a report on the 
study conducted under subsection (a). 
Æ 
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