Weekly Column
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Oct 05 2012
Breast Cancer: A Continuing Threat
Breast cancer has taken a tremendous toll on far too many Americans and their families. This year alone, more than 290,000 women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, including nearly 1,000 in Maine. 40,000 people in our country will die.
There are very few people in this country who haven’t lost a family member, friend or coworker to this devastating disease.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This special designation draws attention to all of those who are fighting this disease. But it also highlights the need for prompt detection and effective new treatments.
Early detection remains the best way to combat breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. Women who are in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam as part of their regular health exam. Early detection has led to significant improvement in survival rates among those afflicted with the second most prevalent form of cancer among women in our nation.
Throughout my time in the Senate, I have been a strong advocate for breast cancer research funding, research on possible environmental causes of breast cancer, and strong legislation to ensure that no one is discriminated against in health insurance and employment as a result of genetic information.
I am the cosponsor of legislation that would establish a “Commission to Accelerate the End of Breast Cancer,” whose mission will be to help end breast cancer by 2020. This commission would work to identify promising research, encourage partnerships between government and the private sector, and create opportunities for trans-disciplinary collaboration that may advance the mission of ending breast cancer.
In addition, I am a strong supporter of the Department of Defense Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program. This program is a model medical research program. According to the Institutes of Medicine, it fills a unique niche among public and private funding sources for cancer research. Of the appropriated funds, 90 per cent go directly to competitive peer-reviewed research grants awarded only on the basis of scientific merit.
I am especially proud to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which has provided important cancer screening services at low or no cost to millions of low-income American women who otherwise might not have been able to afford these critically important tests. The Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program is funded through this program and provides screening and diagnostic services as well as community-based public education and support services at more than 300 sites across our state.
Earlier this year, I was honored by the National Breast Cancer Coalition at their annual Congressional Reception in Washington. While I am pleased to have been recognized for my support for efforts to end breast cancer, I understand there is much work that remains to be done.
We have made great progress in the fight against breast cancer, with new and more effective ways to prevent, detect, and treat this devastating disease. Breast cancer continues to take a terrible toll, however. While the prevention and cure are not yet within our grasp, I remain confident that we can win the fight.