SR0019 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0019 LRB103 25946 ECR 52298 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths by 2030; and

WHEREAS, Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers and has the lowest five-year survival rate at just 10%; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, an estimated 60,430 U.S. residents will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and more than 48,220 will die from the disease; and

WHEREAS, Due to increased awareness, pancreatic cancer survival rates have been improving; however, the disease is still considered largely incurable; with all stages of pancreatic cancer combined, the one-year relative survival rate is 20% and the five-year rate is 9%; and

WHEREAS, The problem is that high-risk people are not being screened in the early and potentially curable stages of pancreatic cancer; and

WHEREAS, Risk factors can include chronic or hereditary pancreatitis, obesity, regular consumption of high dietary fats, alcohol abuse, smoking, family history, age, and long-standing diabetes; and

WHEREAS, Symptoms can include abdominal pain, mid-to-upper back pain, weight loss, jaundice that is yellowing of the skin and eyes, nausea, loss of appetite, changes in stool, and new-onset diabetes; and

WHEREAS, Early screening will save lives; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the month of November 2023 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), the American Cancer Society, and Dr. Paul Grippo of the University of Illinois at Chicago with our sincere appreciation for their efforts to address pancreatic cancer.