Expressing support for greater awareness of ovarian cancer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 727, which expresses the House of Representatives' support for the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. As many of my colleagues hopefully know, on August 31, 2009, President Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation officially declaring September National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and calling on every American to do their part to increase awareness of what Americans can do to prevent and control ovarian cancer. Rising to the challenge, throughout September, all across the Nation, men and women came together for events to both raise awareness of this terrible scourge and to show their support for the women and families struggling with this horrible disease--the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers.

While National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month may be over for 2009, the fight against ovarian cancer goes on. When it is detected early, ovarian cancer is very treatable; unfortunately, ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose because symptoms are sometimes subtle and may be easily confused with those of other diseases. As a result, only 29 percent of ovarian cancer cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in the early stages. When the disease is detected before it has spread beyond the ovaries, more than 95 percent of women will survive longer than five years. But, in cases where the disease is not detected until it reaches the advanced stage, the five-year survival rate plummets to a devastating 25 percent.

As there is still no reliable and easy-to-administer screening test for ovarian cancer, like the Pap smear for cervical cancer or the mammogram for breast cancer; early recognition of symptoms is clearly the best way to save a woman's life. Increased education and awareness about ovarian cancer, along with recognition of women who are at higher risk for developing ovarian cancer, is the only way that women and their doctors will be able to stop ignoring or misinterpreting the subtle symptoms of the disease.

In 2007, the American Cancer Society and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance came to a consensus on the identifiable symptoms of

ovarian cancer. If a woman experiences any of the following symptoms for at least three weeks--bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, frequent or urgent need to urinate--she should immediately see her gynecologist. I urge all of my colleagues to remember those symptoms and I ask each and every one of you to please make a special point of discussing them with your mothers, your wives and your daughters; and encourage them to talk about these symptoms with other women. The simple fact is that ignorance kills. The more women know what to look for, the more lives we can save. If we love our mothers, our wives and our daughters, and I am sure that we do, then we owe it to them to make the effort to talk with them about ovarian cancer.

The word ``cancer'' evokes powerful emotions. Along with many of my colleagues, I know firsthand how devastating cancer can be to the individual who has been diagnosed as well as their family. And I would like to pay a small homage to a constituent of mine and a dear friend, Kolleen Stacy, who recently lost her own personal battle with ovarian cancer. Kolleen first brought the issue of ovarian cancer to my attention, and it was her passion to protect other women from the scourge of ovarian cancer that convinced me to champion this cause in the People's House. Today's debate is a victory for all women, but in my mind, the fact that we are having this debate, the fact that in 2009 there is even such a thing as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of women like Kolleen Stacy. God bless you Kolleen.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support House Resolution 727. It is literally a matter of life and death.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 727) supporting the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials.

Mr. Speaker, at this point I would like to yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) for 5 minutes.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the lead sponsor of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah for his remarks, and I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) and the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for their leadership on this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest forms of women's cancer. As noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ovarian cancer is now the eighth most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States.

As has been noted earlier, in addition, and which has been commented on by the American Cancer Society's annual ``cancer facts and figures,'' over 21,500 new cases of ovarian cancer will have been diagnosed and approximately 14,600 women will have died from ovarian cancer in 2009 alone. Moreover, the American Cancer Society additionally notes that a woman's risk of developing invasive ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 71, and estimates that a woman's lifetime chance of dying from invasive ovarian cancer is 1 in 95.

Despite these troubling statistics, with early detection and proper management, ovarian cancer can be highly treatable. As noted by the American Cancer Society, about 3 in 4 women with ovarian cancer survive at least 1 year after diagnosis, and almost half of women with ovarian cancer are still alive at least 5 years after diagnosis. And if ovarian cancer is found and treated before the cancer has spread outside the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is 93 percent.

However, while ovarian cancer is manageable if detected early, we know that less than 20 percent of all ovarian cancer is found at an early stage.

The Ovarian Cancer Coalition notes that ovarian cancer can strike women of any race and at any age, though women who are over the age of 55 and who have never been pregnant, have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, or have a personal history of cancer, are at higher risk of being diagnosed with the disease.

Accordingly, let us take this opportunity, through the passage of House Resolution 727, to increase the awareness regarding this serious form of cancer and encourage all women to work with their doctors in order to maximize the possibility of early detection. And this resolution has even greater importance in light of the health care debate that goes on in the Senate right now.

Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting House Resolution 727, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers on my side, I want to thank Mr. Israel and Ms. DeLauro for their leadership on this, and I urge that all Members support House Resolution 727.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in support of H. Res. 727, ``supporting the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.'' I would like to thank my colleague Congressman Steve Israel for his leadership on this very important issue, as ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States.

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecological cancers. All women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but older women are more likely to get the disease than younger women. About 90 percent of women who get ovarian cancer are older than 40 years of age, with the greatest number being aged 55 years or older. Additionally, 90 percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer do not have a family history that puts them at higher risk. Early detection is vital, only 20 percent of ovarian cancers are found before tumor growth has spread beyond the ovaries. The chance of surviving ovarian cancer is better if the cancer is found early. Unfortunately, there is currently no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer.

Among women in the United States, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of cancer death, after lung and bronchus, breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers. Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. In 2005, 19,842 women in the U.S. learned they had ovarian cancer, and 14,787 women died from the disease.

Ovarian cancer is known as a ``silent killer'' because it usually isn't found until it has spread to other areas of the body. Unfortunately, there is no simple and reliable way to test for ovarian cancer in women and the Pap test does not check for ovarian cancer. However, new evidence shows that most women may have symptoms even in the early stages, such as: bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary symptoms, among several other symptoms that are easily confused with other diseases. This new evidence has led to the first national consensus statement on ovarian cancer symptoms to provide consistency in describing symptoms to make it easier for women to learn and remember them. Awareness of symptoms may hopefully lead to earlier detection.

The mortality rate for ovarian cancer has not significantly decreased in the almost 40 years since the `War on Cancer' was declared. If ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage before the cancer spreads outside of the ovary, the survival rate is as high as 90 percent. However, due to the lack of a reliable screening test, 75 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in an advanced stage when the five-year survival rate is below 45 percent.

I urge my colleagues to support the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Education and awareness of ovarian cancer will save the lives of countless women.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for the strength and inspiration that she provides to so many women who are having to deal with this. And thank you for sharing your story.

I rise today in support of H. Res. 727, supporting the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecological cancers and is the fifth leading cause of death among women in the United States of America. Ovarian cancer will occur in one out of every 57 women. This year, approximately 20,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and more than 15,000 will unfortunately die from it.

Currently, there is no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer. In June 2007, for the first time a national consensus statement on ovarian cancer symptoms was developed. It described the symptoms, thereby making it easier for women to learn and remember them. However, because of the lack of reliable screening tests, 75 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in an advanced stage, resulting in a survival rate of less than 45 percent. This has to change.

It is critical to the victims of ovarian cancer and their loved ones that a reliable screening test be developed to detect this dreaded cancer in its early stages. In the meantime, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance holds a number of events to increase public awareness of ovarian cancer and educates women about the importance of knowing its common signs and symptoms.

During these events, they stress the importance of routine doctor visits and robust scientific research. During this time and throughout the year, we need to renew our commitment to fighting this illness that devastates all who have been touched by this cancer and takes too many lives of women throughout the United States. I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution, H. Res. 727.

My own mother passed away from breast cancer. Cancer kills too many Americans, roughly 1,500 people a day in this country. I think it is a shame that we don't give more national importance to fighting the war against cancer.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of House Resolution 727. I thank the chief sponsor, Mr. Israel, and all those who have put their heart and soul behind this, and urge the adoption of this resolution.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H. Res. 727, emphasizing the need for greater awareness about ovarian cancer and adopting the goals and ideals established by National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Having lost my wife of 36 years, Jeanne, to ovarian cancer in 2004, I am acutely sensitive to the need for reliable early detection programs and effective treatments for late stage ovarian cancer. I am not alone in having lost a loved one to this disease--ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers, affecting over 20,000 women a year. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women, killing nearly 55 percent of those diagnosed within the first 5 years. Despite this tragically high toll, we still remain woefully ignorant of proper prevention strategies for ovarian cancer, and have yet to develop a reliable early detection program.

While over 90 percent of ovarian cancer cases can be prevented with early screening and treatment, many women remain unaware of their risk factors and the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are particularly difficult to accurately diagnose. Because of this, 75 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in the advanced stages where it is often too late to prevent the cancer's spread. Awareness and early recognition are the best way to save women's lives.

Congress is making some effort to address the inadequacies in our current system. For example, in November 2005, the House passed the Gynecological Resolution for the Advancement of Ovarian Cancer Education in a bipartisan effort to increase the public's understanding of this deadly disease. The President and nonprofit advocacy groups are also engaged in educating the public. President Obama proclaimed September National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and throughout September, the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance held hundreds of events across the country to inform women about the importance of gynecologic exams, and to teach them about the warning signs of ovarian cancer.

Better education, more funding for research, and increased awareness efforts are critical to ensuring that we reduce infection and mortality rates for ovarian cancer in women. I urge my colleagues to continue our efforts to increase research funding to cure ovarian cancer and support public outreach programs on the prevention and treatment of gynecological cancers.