SR634: SR634 Lung Cancer; recognize burden in the United States and State of Georgia; support prevention, early detection, and timely intervention to improve patient outcomes

26 LC 129 0766 Senate Resolution 634 By: Senators Hufstetler of the 52nd, Hatchett of the 50th, Burns of the 23rd, Watson of the 1st, Summers of the 13th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing the burden of lung cancer in the United States and the State of Georgia;1 supporting prevention, early detection, and timely intervention to improve patient outcomes;2 addressing disparities in care; and commending Intuitive for its leadership in advancing lung3 cancer care through innovations such as the Ion robotic endoluminal system; and for other4 purposes.5 WHEREAS, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related dea th in the United States,6 taking the lives of nearly 361 Americans each day and accounting for approximately 125,0707 deaths annually-nearly as many deaths as colorectal (53,010), breast (42,780), and prostate8 (32,520) cancers combined; and9 WHEREAS, about every two minutes someone in the United States is diagnosed with lung10 cancer, and close to 227,000 people were expected to be diagnosed in 2024; and11 W H E R E A S , t h e r e a r e a v a r i e t y o f r i s k f a c t o r s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h l ung cancer, including12 smoking, exposure to radon gas, air pollution, secondhand smoke and military service-related13 exposure; and14 S. R. 634 - 1 - 26 LC 129 0766 WHEREAS, even non-tobacco users get lung cancer, with approximately 20 percent of new15 cases occurring in people who have never smoked; and16 WHEREAS, veterans have a higher rate of lung cancer and are 25 percent more likely to17 receive a lung cancer diagnosis compared to the general population; and 18 WHEREAS, the burden of lung cancer is not distributed equally: people of color, particularly19 Black and Indigenous Americans, are less likely to be diagnosed early, less likely to receive20 surgical treatment, and face significantly lower survival rates compared to white Americans;21 and22 WHEREAS, lung cancer has one of the lowest five-year survival rates of all major cancers,23 largely because cases are frequently diagnosed at later stages, when effective treatment24 options are limited; and25 WHEREAS, the national five-year survival rate after a lung canc er diagnosis is only 29.726 percent, and in Georgia is 26.2 percent-ranking Georgia 30th among 39 states with available27 data and placing it in the below average tier; and28 WHEREAS, only 28.1 percent of lung cancer cases nationally are diagnosed at an early29 stage, when the five-year survival rate rises to 65 percent; un fortunately, 43.1 percent of30 cases are diagnosed at a late stage, when survival drops to just 10 percent; and31 WHEREAS, in Georgia, only 26.9 percent of lung cancer cases are diagnosed early, which32 is lower than the national rate and ranks Georgia 38th among the 50 states, placing it in the33 average tier for early diagnosis; and34 S. R. 634 - 2 - 26 LC 129 0766 WHEREAS, the rate of new lung cancer cases in Georgia is 55.7 per 100,000, higher than35 the national rate of 52.8 per 100,000 and placing Georgia 29th among all states; and36 WHEREAS, surgery is the most effective treatment for early-stage lung cancer that has not37 spread, yet only about 20.7 percent of cases nationally undergo surgery, with rates similarly38 low in Georgia, partly due to late diagnosis; and39 WHEREAS, early-stage lung cancers present unique clinical chall enges, with over 7040 percent located in the outer third of the lung, 64 percent in the upper lobes, and 51 percent41 lacking a leading airway, making them very difficult to reach a nd biopsy using traditional42 technology; and43 WHEREAS, Intuitive's Ion robotic endoluminal system is designed with the smallest outer44 diameter in its class, maximizing physician reach into the lung periphery and enabling45 minimally invasive biopsies of small, hard-to-reach nodules, thereby empowering clinicians46 to overcome anatomical challenges and achieve more accurate, earlier diagnoses; and47 WHEREAS, Ion has the potential to improve survival rates and re duce overall healthcare48 costs by increasing the number of patients who can be diagnosed at an early and treatable49 stage; and50 WHEREAS, expanding access to cutting-edge technology like Ion and the da Vinci surgical51 system supports Georgia healthcare teams, including those servi ng active military and52 veterans, in their fight against lung cancer, benefits patients regardless of risk factors, and53 aligns with statewide commitments to elevate patient care and address health disparities.54 S. R. 634 - 3 - 26 LC 129 0766 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body55 recognize lung cancer as a critical public health concern and s upport efforts to improve56 prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and intervention, while addressing disparities in care57 and outcomes.58 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members commend Intuitive for its leadership and59 innovation in advancing lung cancer diagnostic care through the Ion robotic endoluminal60 system and surgical care through the da Vinci surgical system.61 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed62 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Intuitive.63 S. R. 634 - 4 -