Title: Supporting the designation of September 2021 as "National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and expresses support for the month's goals and ideals.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 687 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 687

  Supporting the designation of September 2021 as ``National Ovarian 
                       Cancer Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 28, 2021

Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mr. Issa, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Miss 
  Gonzalez-Colon, and Mr. Carson) submitted the following resolution; 
      which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Supporting the designation of September 2021 as ``National Ovarian 
                       Cancer Awareness Month''.

Whereas ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths of women in 
        the United States and causes more deaths than any other gynecologic 
        cancer;
Whereas, in the United States, a woman's lifetime risk of being diagnosed with 
        ovarian cancer is about 1 in 78;
Whereas the American Cancer Society estimates 21,750 cases of ovarian cancer 
        were newly diagnosed in 2020 and 13,940 individuals died from the 
        disease nationwide;
Whereas the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 46.5 percent and 
        survival rates vary greatly depending on the stage of diagnosis;
Whereas the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is over 90 percent for 
        individuals diagnosed in early stages;
Whereas, while the mammogram can detect breast cancer and the Pap smear can 
        detect cervical cancer, there is no reliable early detection test for 
        ovarian cancer;
Whereas, in June 2007, the first national consensus statement on ovarian cancer 
        symptoms was developed to provide consistency in describing symptoms to 
        make it easier for women to learn and remember those symptoms;
Whereas Black women with ovarian cancer are more likely to have late-stage 
        diagnoses, receive lower quality clinical services, and have lower 5-
        year survival rates than non-Black women;
Whereas Black women have a 5-year ovarian cancer mortality rate of 62 percent, 
        while the 5-year ovarian cancer mortality rate is 54 percent for White 
        women;
Whereas women of color, low-income women, and women living in rural areas have 
        more barriers to accessing a standard quality of care and are more 
        likely to receive care at a facility that has poorer adherence to 
        National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines;
Whereas the proportion of ovarian cancer cases in women serving on active duty 
        who are less than 45 years of age is substantially greater than in the 
        general population;
Whereas too many people remain unaware that the symptoms of ovarian cancer often 
        include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling 
        full quickly, urinary symptoms, and several other vague symptoms that 
        are often easily confused with other diseases;
Whereas improved awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer by the pubic and 
        health care providers can lead to quicker diagnoses and improved 
        outcomes;
Whereas the lack of an early detection test for ovarian cancer combined with its 
        vague symptoms mean that approximately 80 percent of cases of ovarian 
        cancer are detected at an advanced stage;
Whereas issues collecting and reporting data on treatment and outcomes related 
        to ovarian cancer risk, especially for underserved communities and 
        marginalized populations, can impede the development of effective 
        policy;
Whereas all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but approximately 20 percent 
        of women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a hereditary 
        predisposition to ovarian cancer, which places them at even higher risk;
Whereas scientists and physicians have uncovered changes in the BRCA genes that 
        some women inherit from their parents, which may make those women 30 
        times more likely to develop ovarian cancer;
Whereas the family history of a woman has been found to play an important role 
        in accurately assessing her risk of developing ovarian cancer and 
        medical experts believe that family history should be taken into 
        consideration during the annual well-woman visit of any woman;
Whereas women who know that they are at high risk of ovarian cancer may 
        undertake prophylactic measures to help reduce the risk of developing 
        this disease;
Whereas guidelines issued by the NCCN and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology 
        recommend that all individuals diagnosed with ovarian cancer receive 
        genetic counseling and genetic testing regardless of their family 
        history;
Whereas studies consistently show that compliance with these guidelines is 
        alarmingly low, with recently published National Cancer Institute-funded 
        research finding that in 2013 and 2014, only one-third of ovarian cancer 
        survivors have undergone such testing;
Whereas, according to a 2016 consensus report by the National Academy of 
        Medicine, ``there remain surprising gaps in the fundamental knowledge 
        about and understanding of ovarian cancer'' across all aspects of the 
        disease;
Whereas ongoing investments in ovarian cancer research and education and 
        awareness efforts are critical to closing these gaps and improving 
        survivorship for women with ovarian cancer;
Whereas each year during the month of September, the Ovarian Cancer Research 
        Alliance and community partner organizations hold a number of events to 
        increase public awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms; and
Whereas September 2021 should be designated as ``National Ovarian Cancer 
        Awareness Month'' to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National Ovarian Cancer 
        Awareness Month''; and
            (2) supports the goals and ideals of ``National Ovarian 
        Cancer Awareness Month''.
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