SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 901
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
join Texans across the state in observing October of 2011 as
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, Inflammatory breast cancer is a type of breast
cancer in which cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin
of the breast; symptoms, which may appear overnight, are similar
to those of mastitis, a benign infection; this similarity
sometimes results in misdiagnoses and delays in treatment, and
such postponements in care often result in an eventual Stage IV
diagnosis; and
WHEREAS, Accounting for less than five percent of breast
cancer cases, inflammatory breast cancer is the most aggressive
form of the disease, due to its faster doubling time; its
five-year survival rate is approximately 40 percent, mainly
because of delays in diagnosis, the disease's resistance to
treatment with standard chemotherapy, and a lack of expertise in
treating this rare form of cancer; and
WHEREAS, Because it does not form the characteristic lump
that can alert women to the presence of breast cancer,
inflammatory breast cancer can quickly spread undetected
throughout the breast and is also rarely detected by mammograms
or ultrasounds; and
WHEREAS, The treatment of inflammatory breast cancer
differs from other breast cancer treatments, and early diagnosis
by a physician with experience in caring for inflammatory breast
cancer is essential; it is truly fitting that a month be set aside
to raise awareness about this devastating disease through
education of the general public and the medical community; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd
Legislature, hereby commend those who are working to fight
inflammatory breast cancer and call on Texans to observe October
of 2011 as Inflammatory Breast Cancer Awareness Month; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
honor of Inflammatory Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Huffman
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 4, 2011.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate