Amended in Assembly June 2, 2014

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 101

Introduced by Senator Gaines

(Coauthors: Senators Block, Cannella, Correa, De León, Evans, Fuller, Huff, Monning, Padilla, Steinberg, Vidak, and Wolk)

March 24, 2014

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 101—Relative to Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 101, as amended, Gaines. Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

This measure would designate September 2014 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the State of California.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed
cancer in men aside from skin begin delete cancer end delete begin insert cancer, end insert and begin insert is end insert the second
leading cause of cancer death in men aside from lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimates that one
in begin delete six end delete begin insert seven end insert men will develop prostate cancer in begin delete his end delete begin insert their end insert lifetime
with an estimated begin delete 238,590 end delete begin insert 233,000 end insert new cases of the disease in the
United States begin delete predicted for end delete begin insert during end insert 2014, begin delete which would result end delete
begin insert resulting end insert in an estimated begin delete 29,720 end delete begin insert 29,480 end insert deaths; and

WHEREAS, In California, prostate cancer is the most common
cancer among men in most racial and ethnic groups. begin delete African
American men are 45 percent more likely to develop this disease
than non-Hispanic white men and 58 percent more likely than
Hispanic men; end delete begin insert Incidence rates are about 60 percent higher in
African American men than in non-Hispanic white men; end insert and

WHEREAS, In California, approximately begin delete 20,430 end delete begin insert 22,080 end insert men
are predicted to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014, and,
of this number, approximately begin delete 3,085 end delete begin insert 3,065 California end insert men are
predicted to die of this disease; and

WHEREAS, The survival rate approaches 100 percent when
prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated begin delete early end delete begin insert early, end insert but drops to
28 percent when the disease spreads to other parts of the body;
and

WHEREAS, Early stages of prostate cancer usually do not have
symptoms and genetic predisposition may be responsible for 5 to
10 percent of prostate cancer cases; and

WHEREAS, Recent studies suggest that a diet high in processed
meat or dairy foods may increase the risk of prostate cancer, while
obesity may contribute to an increased risk of more aggressive
forms of the disease; and

WHEREAS, Obesity and smoking are associated with an
increased risk of dying from prostate cancer; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends that
all men be given sufficient information on both the benefits and
limitations of early detection and testing for prostate cancer to
allow each man to make a decision based on his personal values
and preferences; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates September
2014 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the State of
California and encourages public officials and citizens of California
to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs;
and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature joins communities across our
nation to increase awareness of the importance of each man making
an informed decision with his health care provider with regard to
early detection and testing for prostate cancer; and be it further

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