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September was National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a little-known but largely important designation that reaffirms our country’s commitment to fighting prostate cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among American men.
Prostate cancer is the leading diagnosed cancer among American men, accounting for nearly one-third of all new cancer cases each year. More than 230,000 men will be newly diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and some 30,000 will die from it. The good news is that a simple blood test called the PSA exam can detect and help dramatically reduce prostate cancer deaths in men, much as mammograms and Pap smears have reduced breast and cervical cancer in women.
I chaired the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee in the House of Representatives for ten years, a time during which I devoted a considerable amount of effort to encouraging the prevention, early detection, and hopefully someday, the elimination of cancer from our society. As Health Subcommittee Chairman, I helped renew many national cancer reduction programs and add preventive benefits, such as screenings for prostate cancer, to the Medicare program.
The National Institutes of Health this year will spend more than $381 million on prostate cancer research. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense together will spend nearly $100 million more toward finding ways to stop a disease which kills too many husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons.
I encourage men to observe National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month by talking with their doctors about their risk of getting this deadly disease and seeking appropriate screenings and treatment if necessary. Doing so could save lives, maybe even yours. |
