CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
House Resolution
No. 104
Introduced by Assembly Member Gipson
|
August 19, 2020 |
Relative to Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
HR 104, as introduced, Gipson.
Digest Key
WHEREAS, Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men aside from skin cancer. It is estimated that one in nine men will develop this disease in their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimates there will be approximately 172,040 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2020, resulting in an estimated 60,660 deaths; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated 20,160 men in California will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and it is estimated that 3,890 men in California will die from this disease; and
WHEREAS, Men of African American descent and Caribbean men of African ancestry have the highest prostate cancer incidence rates in the world, and their prostate cancer mortality rate in the United States is more than twice that of any other ethnic group; and
WHEREAS, Having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing the disease; and
WHEREAS, Advanced prostate cancer commonly spreads to the bones, which can cause pain in the hips, spine, ribs, or other areas in the body; and
WHEREAS, The five-year survival rate approaches 100 percent when prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated early, but drops to 29 percent when it spreads to other parts of the body; and
WHEREAS, Treatment options for prostate cancer vary depending on age, the stage and grade of cancer, and other existing medical conditions; and
WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends that a man should have an opportunity to make an informed decision about whether to be tested for prostate cancer based on personal values and preferences; and
WHEREAS, For men who desire screening, prostate-specific antigen testing may begin at age 55 for average-risk men, and for men at higher than average risk, that is black men, men with a family history, men with a genetic predisposition, and veterans, should begin at age 40; and
WHEREAS, The cost of screening for early detection is a barrier that stifles detecting prostate cancer; now, therefore be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly proclaims September 2020 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in California; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly joins communities across our nation to increase awareness about the importance for men to make an informed decision with their health care provider about early detection and testing for prostate cancer; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.