For the Reporter

Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA-District 8) joined Reps. Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18), Leonard Lance (NJ-07) and Henry Waxman (CA-33) in announcing today the creation of the Congressional Caucus on the Deadliest Cancers.

The caucus will raise awareness about the deadliest forms of cancers and advocate for research and other measures to increase survival. Lung, pancreatic and liver cancers are all considered “deadly cancers” with five-year survival rates below 50 percent.

The caucus will give patients and survivors a support network of lawmakers and health care professionals dedicated to working collaboratively on federal initiatives.

The bipartisan lawmakers joined the Deadliest Cancer Coalition earlier this afternoon, where a panel discussed efforts to minimize cancer’s toll by improving prevention, early detection, and treatment options for these cancers.

“Launching the Congressional Caucus on Deadliest Cancers is extremely important to raise awareness about cancers with the lowest survival rate,” Reichert said. “After watching my own mother lose her battle with pancreatic cancer, I understand all too well how critical it is that we support research for new medicines and treatments for these diseases, and perhaps, one day, we will discover the cure.”