Senate Concurrent ResolutionNo. 26


Introduced by Senator Beall

March 5, 2015


Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 26—Relative to Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 26, as introduced, Beall. Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

This measure would recognize that pancreatic cancer statistics call for aggressive measures now to develop early detection and treatment tools before the incidence dramatically increases, and would proclaim November 2015 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in California.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, In 2015, an estimated 48,960 people will be
2diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and 40,560 people will die from
3the disease in the United States; and

4WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers,
5is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States,
6and is the only major cancer with a five-year relative survival rate
7in the single digits at just 7 percent; and

8WHEREAS, Symptoms of pancreatic cancer usually first present
9themselves in its late stage, and 72 percent of pancreatic cancer
10patients die within the first year of their diagnosis, while 93 percent
11of pancreatic cancer patients die within the first five years; and

12WHEREAS, Approximately 4,300 deaths from pancreatic cancer
13will occur in California in 2015; and

14WHEREAS, The incidence and death rate for pancreatic cancer
15are increasing, pancreatic cancer is anticipated to move from the
16fourth to the second leading cause of cancer death in the United
P2    1States by 2020, and the number of deaths from the disease will
2increase 2.4 fold by 2030; and

3WHEREAS, The federal government invests significantly less
4money in pancreatic cancer research than it does in research of
5any other leading deadly cancer, constituting only approximately
62 percent of the National Cancer Institute’s research funding, a
7figure far too low given the severity of the disease, its mortality
8rate, and how little is known about how to arrest it; and

9WHEREAS, The Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act of 2012,
10formerly the Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act,
11requires that the National Cancer Institute develop a scientific
12framework for combating pancreatic cancer and other recalcitrant
13cancers; and

14WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is a national
15organization serving the pancreatic cancer community in California,
16where it is headquartered, and nationwide through a comprehensive
17approach, which includes public policy, research funding, patient
18services, and public awareness and education related to developing
19effective treatments and a cure for pancreatic cancer; and

20WHEREAS, The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and its
21affiliates in California support those patients and families currently
22battling pancreatic cancer, as well as the friends and families of
23those who have lost their lives to the disease, and are committed
24to nothing less than a cure; and

25WHEREAS, The good health and well-being of the residents
26of California are enhanced as a direct result of increased awareness
27about pancreatic cancer and research into early detection, causes,
28and effective treatments; now, therefore, be it

29Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
30thereof concurring,
That the Legislature hereby recognizes that
31pancreatic cancer statistics call for aggressive measures now to
32develop early detection and treatment tools before the incidence
33dramatically increases, in light of the fact that National Cancer
34Institute funding is falling dangerously behind; and be it further

35Resolved, That the Legislature hereby proclaims November
362015 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in California and
37urges all California citizens to wage hope to end pancreatic cancer;
38and be it further.

P3    1Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
2this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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