SR1630 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1630 LRB098 23178 MST 62180 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Lung cancer kills 159,000 Americans every year, more than any other form of cancer; and

WHEREAS, Smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer; secondhand smoke exposure, radon, asbestos, and genetic disorders have long been known to cause lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer recently added outdoor air pollution and particulate matter to the growing list of air pollutants known to cause lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, Although avoiding exposure to these carcinogens is the best way to prevent lung cancer, people cannot always avoid them because they are so widespread; and

WHEREAS, The 5-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 17%, among the lowest of all types of cancer; and

WHEREAS, Early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer greatly improves survival rates; however, most cases are not diagnosed until their later stages; and

WHEREAS, The lung cancer mortality rate for high-risk populations can be lowered by up to 14% through early detection, including low-dose CT screening; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that 72,000 American women will die of lung cancer in 2014, which accounts for 26% of all female deaths due to cancer; and

WHEREAS, Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Every two-and-a-half minutes, someone in the United States is told that he or she has lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, In the last 36 years, the lung cancer death rate has fallen 28% among men while increasing 98% among women; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we hereby designate November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month in the State of Illinois, and we encourage all residents to learn more about the detection and treatment of lung cancer; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the American Lung Association.