2018-26

WHEREAS, cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanics;  and,

 

WHEREAS, prostate cancer and colorectal cancers are the most commonly diagnosed cancers among men, including Hispanic men;  and,

 

WHEREAS, in 2018 there are expected to be about 164,690 new cases of prostate cancer and about 29,430 deaths from prostate cancer in the United States; and,

 

WHEREAS, prostate cancer is a disease that disproportionately affects men with a family history of this disease (particularly brother and/or father) and as they advance in age; and,

 

WHEREAS, finding prostate cancer when it is still at an early stage offers the best hope for effective treatment and potentially living cancer free;  and,

 

WHEREAS, if prostate cancer metastasizes, the prognosis is poor with median survival of about 3 years;  and,

 

WHEREAS, compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics are more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease and experience poor quality of life following a cancer diagnosis;  and,

 

WHEREAS, although few studies have examined quality of life outcomes among Hispanics with prostate cancer specifically, those that have suggest that men diagnosed with prostate cancer evidence lower quality of life compared to men from other ethnicities;  and, 

 

WHEREAS, more specifically, Hispanic men diagnosed with prostate cancer reported poorer quality of life relative to both Non-Hispanic whites and African Americans; and, while there are also disparities between the latter groups, they closely track income disparities, but the disparity between Non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics was only partially explained by income, suggesting that additional medical factors may account for poorer quality of life;  and,

 

WHEREAS, improved awareness of prostate cancer, understanding of increased risks for developing it, as well as access to recent medical advances that may extend the time a patient lives without their cancer spreading, are all important aspects to improving patient outcomes.

 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators calls on states to take action on prostate cancer awareness; and,

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators calls on states to encourage culturally-competent outreach efforts to educate and inform communities of color on the importance of early detection; and,

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators calls on states to encourage Hispanic men to participate in clinical trials and for clinical trials to actively recruit Hispanic men. 

 

THE NATIONAL HISPANIC CAUCUS OF STATE LEGISLATORS RATIFIED THIS RESOLUTION ON DECEMBER 8, 2018 AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.