PRINTER'S NO. 167
No. 162 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, ORIE, TARTAGLIONE, KITCHEN, O'PAKE,
KASUNIC, BOSCOLA, COSTA, MOWERY, STOUT, WAGNER, MUSTO AND
WONDERLING, FEBRUARY 4, 2003
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 4, 2003
AN ACT
1 Requiring the Department of Public Welfare to prepare and report
2 a mapping breakdown of breast cancer rates.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Cancer
7 Cluster Identification Act.
8 Section 2. Legislative findings.
9 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
10 (1) Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer
11 in Pennsylvania among both women and the entire population
12 and is the second-leading cause of female cancer deaths in
13 Pennsylvania.
14 (2) Approximately 10,930 women, or an average of 30
15 women each day, are projected to have been diagnosed with new
16 cases of breast cancer in this Commonwealth in the year 2002.
17 This number would represent 30% of all female cancer
1 diagnoses in Pennsylvania.
2 (3) In the year 2002, it is projected that at least
3 2,135 women, or an average of six women each day, will have
4 died from breast cancer.
5 (4) Approximately one of every eight women can expect to
6 develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
7 (5) Early detection is the most effective means to
8 reduce breast and cervical cancer mortality. The five-year
9 survival rate for localized breast cancer is greater than
10 96%.
11 (6) Breast cancer mortality rates are significantly
12 greater among racial and ethnic minority groups as well as in
13 lower income areas.
14 (7) It is critical that areas where a greater than
15 average incidence of breast cancer exists be identified so
16 that those areas can be targeted for intervention, screening
17 and other efforts.
18 Section 3. Definitions.
19 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
20 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
21 context clearly indicates otherwise:
22 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
23 Commonwealth.
24 Section 4. Identification of cancer clusters.
25 (a) General rule.--The department shall prepare a mapping
26 breakdown of breast cancer rates across this Commonwealth for
27 purposes of identifying geographic areas with high
28 concentrations of the disease. The mapping breakdown shall serve
29 to identify cancer clusters which may be associated with certain
30 environmental factors and the geographic areas to target for
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1 intervention, screening and other efforts.
2 (b) Report.--The department shall prepare the mapping
3 breakdown under subsection (a) and publish a report of its
4 findings within one year of the effective date of this act. The
5 department shall transmit a copy of the report to the Governor
6 and the General Assembly. The department shall review and update
7 the report annually.
8 Section 5. Effective date.
9 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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