In marking World Cancer Day on Feb. 4, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) announced the relaunch of the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on the Deadliest Cancers.
“I am proud to relaunch the Congressional Caucus on the Deadliest Cancers with Representative Anna Eshoo today, on World Cancer Day, as we continue to find a cure for these terrible diseases,” Rep. Upton said.
The caucus raises awareness about the deadliest forms of cancer, defined as those with a five-year survival rate below 50 percent, such as pancreatic cancer, and advocates for research funding and other measures to increase survival rates for these cancers.
“The prevention, treatment and ultimately curing of the deadliest cancers requires an all-hands-on-deck effort to not only educate, but innovate new cures and treatments,” said Rep. Upton. “We have the technology at our hands to make the impossible possible.”
The relaunch of the caucus coincided with President Joe Biden’s relaunch last week of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative, a nationwide effort to end cancer.
“The Cancer Moonshot Initiative was a defining feature of 21st Century Cures, a bill co-authored with my colleague Rep. Diana DeGette that was signed into law in 2016 and paved the way for monumental medical breakthroughs,” said Rep. Upton.
Rep. Eshoo (D-CA) pointed out that the caucus will help play a critical role in efforts toward meeting Biden’s goal to reduce the cancer death rate by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years. “It’s time to accelerate our efforts to conquer cancer,” she said.
“Together, we’ll have all hands on deck to find a cure for the incurable and save millions of lives from these fatal diseases,” Rep. Upton tweeted on Feb. 4.