HR1904: HR1904 National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day at the state capitol; September 16, 2026; recognize

26 LC 112 4058 House Resolution 1904 By: Representative Campbell of the 35th A RESOLUTION Recognizing September 16, 2026, as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day at the state1 capitol; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, ovarian cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer de aths of women in the3 United States and causes more deaths than any other gynecologic cancer; and4 WHEREAS, in the United States, a woman's lifetime risk of being diagnosed with ovarian5 cancer is about one in 91; and6 WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society estimates 20,890 cases of ovarian cancer will be7 newly diagnosed in 2026, and 12,730 individuals will die from the disease nationwide; and8 WHEREAS, the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is 51.6 percent, and survival rates9 vary greatly depending on the stage of diagnosis; and10 WHEREAS, the five-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is over 90 percent for individuals11 diagnosed in early stages; and12 H. R. 1904 - 1 - 26 LC 112 4058 WHEREAS, while the mammogram can detect breast cancer and the pap smear can detect13 cervical cancer, there is no reliable early detection test for ovarian cancer; and14 WHEREAS, in June 2007, the first national consensus statement o n ovarian cancer15 symptoms was developed to provide consistency in describing symptoms to make it easier16 for women to learn and remember those symptoms; and17 WHEREAS, Black women with ovarian cancer are more likely to have late-stage diagnoses,18 receive lower quality clinical services, and have lower five-ye ar survival rates than19 non-Black women; and20 WHEREAS, Black women have a five-year ovarian cancer mortality rate of 62 percent,21 while the five-year ovarian cancer mortality rate is 54 percent for White women; and22 WHEREAS, women of color, low-income women, and women living in rural areas have23 more barriers to accessing a standard quality of care and are m ore likely to receive care at24 a facility that has poorer adherence to National Comprehensive Cancer Network treatment25 guidelines; and26 WHEREAS, the proportion of ovarian cancer cases in women servin g on active duty who27 are less than 45 years of age is substantially greater than in the general population; and28 WHEREAS, too many people remain unaware that the symptoms of ov arian cancer often29 include bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, urinary30 symptoms, and several other vague symptoms that are often easil y confused with other31 diseases; and32 H. R. 1904 - 2 - 26 LC 112 4058 WHEREAS, improved awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer by the public and health33 care providers can lead to quicker diagnoses and more treatment opportunities; and34 WHEREAS, the lack of an early detection test for ovarian cancer combined with its vague35 symptoms mean that approximately 80 percent of cases of ovarian cancer are detected at an36 advanced stage; and37 WHEREAS, issues collecting and reporting data on treatment and outcomes related to38 ovarian cancer risk, especially for underserved communities and marginalized populations,39 can impede the development of effective policy; and40 WHEREAS, all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, but approxim ately 20 percent of41 women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a hereditary predisposition to ovarian42 cancer, which places them at even higher risk; and43 WHEREAS, scientists and physicians have uncovered changes in the BRCA genes that some44 women inherit from their parents, which may make those women 30 times more likely to45 develop ovarian cancer; and46 WHEREAS, the family history of a woman has been found to play a n important role in47 accurately assessing her risk of developing ovarian cancer, and medical experts believe that48 family history should be taken into consideration during the annual well-woman visit of any49 woman; and50 WHEREAS, those women who have a family history of ovarian or br east cancer should51 consider genetic testing and counseling to determine whether th eir risk of developing a52 heritable cancer is elevated; and53 H. R. 1904 - 3 - 26 LC 112 4058 WHEREAS, women who know that they are at high risk of ovarian cancer may undertake54 prophylactic measures like an opportunistic salpingectomy to he lp reduce the risk of55 developing this disease; and56 WHEREAS, guidelines issued by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the57 Society of Gynecologic Oncology recommend that all individuals diagnosed with ovarian58 cancer receive genetic counseling and genetic testing regardless of their family history; and59 WHEREAS, studies consistently show that compliance with these guidelines is alarmingly60 low, with recently published National Cancer Institute-funded research finding that in 201361 and 2014, only one-third of ovarian cancer survivors have undergone such testing; and62 WHEREAS, according to a 2016 consensus report by the National Academy of Medicine,63 "there remain surprising gaps in the fundamental knowledge abou t and understanding of64 ovarian cancer" across all aspects of the disease; and65 WHEREAS, ovarian cancer research remains underfunded relative t o its mortality rate,66 making increased federal investment critical to progress; and67 WHEREAS, ongoing investments in ovarian cancer research and education and awareness68 efforts are critical to closing these gaps and improving survivorship for women with ovarian69 cancer.70 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that71 the members of this body recognize September 16, 2026, as Natio nal Ovarian Cancer72 Awareness Day at the state capitol.73 H. R. 1904 - 4 - 26 LC 112 4058 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized74 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution avai lable for distribution to the75 public and the press.76 H. R. 1904 - 5 -