SENATE RESOLUTION

8616

BySenator Rivers

WHEREAS, According to the American Cancer Society, 235,760 Americans will be newly diagnosed with lung cancer this year and an estimated 7,780 Washington residents alone will be diagnosed with the disease. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States with nearly half of cases not detected until it is too late, and the survival rate is only six percent; and

WHEREAS, Any person is at risk for developing lung cancer, as there are many other risk factors aside from smoking including family history, environmental causes, and other lifestyle factors. Each year, tens of thousands of nonsmokers are diagnosed with lung cancer; and

WHEREAS, The screening and early detection of lung cancer are vital to the health and well-being of Washington residents; and

WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has led many patients to postpone regular health appointments, meaning that screening and early detection rates of lung cancer will be lower than years prior; and

WHEREAS, Research shows that early detection via low-dose CT screening can decrease lung cancer mortality by 14 to 20 percent among high-risk populations, however only 6.1 percent of high-risk Washington residents actually receive these potentially life-saving screenings; and

WHEREAS, This year marks the 50th anniversary of passing the National Cancer Act, yet screening for and education of lung cancer continues to be alarmingly low compared to other forms of cancer;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate encourage Washington residents to learn about their risk for lung cancer, talk to their health care provider about recommended lung cancer screenings, and be screened with low-dose CT scans as appropriate.