PRINTER'S NO. 1185
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.156
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY HANBIDGE, HOWARD, HADDOCK, PROBST, McNEILL,
T. DAVIS, VENKAT, MAYES, SANCHEZ, KHAN, HILL-EVANS, MADDEN,
D. WILLIAMS, BELLMON, NEILSON, HOHENSTEIN, OTTEN, O'MARA,
DEASY, CERRATO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, RIVERA, STEELE AND K.HARRIS,
MARCH 31, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 31, 2025
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of May 2025 as "Melanoma Awareness Month"
in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Each year, May is observed as "Melanoma and Skin
Cancer Awareness Month" by groups like the American Academy of
Dermatology; and
WHEREAS, This month serves to bring attention to skin cancer
as the most common form of cancer in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Each day, approximately 9,500 people in the United
States are diagnosed with skin cancer; and
WHEREAS, Cases of skin cancer can be broken down into three
categories: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and
melanoma; and
WHEREAS, Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are
the most common forms of skin cancer, but melanoma is the most
dangerous form of the disease; and
WHEREAS, According to the American Cancer Society,
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16 approximately 104,960 cases of melanoma are expected to be
diagnosed in the United States in 2025 and approximately 8,430
are expected to die from the condition this year in the United
States; and
WHEREAS, Melanoma is most frequently caused by overexposure
to ultraviolet light, typically from the sun or tanning beds,
though the exact cause of the disease has not been determined;
and
WHEREAS, Melanoma is formed in the melanocytes, the cells of
the skin that create melanin and provide the skin's color; and
WHEREAS, The most frequent symptoms of melanoma are atypical
moles, including those that are abnormally shaped or have
changes in color or size, and abnormal looking growths on the
skin, known as melanomas; and
WHEREAS, These melanomas typically form in areas with
frequent sun exposure such as the arms, legs or back, though
sometimes they can appear in different areas like in the eye,
under fingernails or underneath an individual's skin; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with fair skin are at higher risk of
being diagnosed with melanoma, with one in 33 white people
expected to be diagnosed in their lifetimes; and
WHEREAS, Melanoma can be diagnosed through a physical
examination or by removing a piece of tissue and conducting a
biopsy on the affected area; and
WHEREAS, Later stage melanoma can appear thicker and may
spread to different parts of the body such as lymph nodes,
making melanoma more survivable if it is caught earlier; and
WHEREAS, Some cases of melanoma can be treated through one-
time surgery to remove the cancer, though if the melanoma has
spread to other areas it may require further treatments like
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30 radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy; and
WHEREAS, The survival rates of melanoma vary greatly
depending on the degree of the cancer's spread; and
WHEREAS, For cases in which the cancer has not spread to any
other parts of the body, known as localized cases, the survival
rate is currently in excess of 99%; and
WHEREAS, Conversely, cases in which the cancer has spread to
local areas of the body, known as regional cases, have a
survival rate of 75%, while cases with greater spread, known as
distant cases, have a survival rate of 35%; and
WHEREAS, Accordingly, it is important for individuals to
regularly be checked for cases of skin cancer; and
WHEREAS, To prevent melanoma and other skin cancers, it is
important to take precautions when exposed to direct sunlight
such as wearing sunscreen and protective clothing; and
WHEREAS, The American Academy of Dermatology uses "Skin
Cancer Awareness Month" as an opportunity to raise awareness of
the dangers of skin cancers like melanoma and the measures that
can be taken to prevent them; and
WHEREAS, Further, increased awareness helps provide funding
for research and educational campaigns to help combat the
disease and inform the public about its effects; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of May 2025 as "Melanoma Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
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