WHEREAS, Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 164,690 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States in 2018, resulting in an estimated 29,430 deaths; and

WHEREAS, It is estimated that 15,190 men in California will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and it is estimated that 3,490 of these men will die from this disease; and

WHEREAS, African American men in the United States and Caribbean have the highest documented prostate cancer incidence rates in the world; and

WHEREAS, Early prostate cancer usually has no symptoms and studies suggest strong familial predisposition may be responsible for 5 to 10 percent of the disease cases; and

WHEREAS, Advanced prostate cancer commonly spreads to the bones, which can cause pain to the hips, spine, ribs, or other areas of the body; and

WHEREAS, The five-year survival rate approaches 100 percent when prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated early, but drops to 30 percent when it spreads to other parts of the body; and

WHEREAS, Prostate cancer treatment decisions should be based on clinician recommendations and patient values and preferences; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society recommends that men should have an opportunity to make an informed decision about whether or not to be tested for prostate cancer based on their personal values and preferences; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature of the State of California hereby proclaims the month of September 2018 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature joins communities across our nation to increase awareness about the importance for men to make informed decisions with their health care providers about early detection and testing for prostate cancer; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

SCR 142: Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Senate Floor

News Coverage: