A resolution designating July 17, 2019, as "Glioblastoma Awareness Day".

III 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 245 Designating July 17, 2019, as ‘‘Glioblastoma Awareness Day’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 11, 2019 Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Ms. MCSALLY, Ms. SINEMA, Ms. WARREN, Mr. MCCONNELL, and Mr. MARKEY) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Designating July 17, 2019, as ‘‘Glioblastoma Awareness Day’’. Whereas an estimated 13,310 new cases of glioblastoma will be diagnosed in the United States in 2019; Whereas glioblastoma is— (1) the most common malignant (cancerous) brain tumor, accounting for 47 percent of all primary malig- nant brain tumors; and (2) the most aggressive, complex, difficult to treat, and deadliest brain tumor; Whereas it is estimated that more than 15,000 people in the United States will succumb to glioblastoma every year; Whereas the 5-year survival rate for glioblastoma patients is only 5.6 percent and the average survival for glio- VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:37 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR245.ATS SR245 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •SRES 245 ATS blastoma patients is estimated to be only 12 to 18 months; Whereas glioblastoma is described as a disease that affects the ‘‘essence of self’’, as the treatment and removal of glioblastoma presents significant challenges because of the uniquely complex and fragile nature of the brain, the primary organ in the human body that controls not only cognitive ability, but the actions of every organ and limb; Whereas brain cancer has— (1) the highest per-patient initial cost of care for any cancer group, with an annualized mean net cost of care approaching $150,000; and (2) the highest annualized mean net costs for last- year-of-life care, relative to other cancers, at $135,000 to $210,000 (depending on age and gender) per patient; Whereas, although research advances may fuel the develop- ment of new treatments for glioblastoma, challenging ob- stacles to accelerating progress toward new treatments for glioblastoma remain, and there are no screening or early detection methods; Whereas, although glioblastoma was first described in medical and scientific literature in the 1920s, and despite its dev- astating prognosis, only 4 drugs and 1 medical device have been approved by the Food and Drug Administra- tion to treat glioblastoma since the 1920s, and the mor- tality rates associated with glioblastoma have changed lit- tle during the past 30 years; and Whereas there is a need for greater public awareness of glio- blastoma, including both the urgent unmet medical need, as well as the opportunities for research and treatment advances for glioblastoma patients: Now, therefore, be it VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:37 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR245.ATS SR245 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •SRES 245 ATS Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) designates July 17, 2019, as ‘‘Glioblastoma 2 Awareness Day’’; 3 (2) encourages increased public awareness of 4 glioblastoma; 5 (3) honors those individuals who have lost their 6 lives to that devastating disease or are currently liv- 7 ing with it; 8 (4) supports efforts to develop better treat- 9 ments for glioblastoma that will improve the long- 10 term prognosis of individuals diagnosed with glio- 11 blastoma; 12 (5) expresses its support for those individuals 13 who are battling brain tumors, as well as the fami- 14 lies, friends, and caregivers of those individuals; and 15 (6) urges a collaborative approach to brain 16 tumor research, which is a promising means of ad- 17 vancing understanding of, and treatment for, glio- 18 blastoma. 19 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:37 Jun 11, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR245.ATS SR245 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS