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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A HEARING OF THE COOK COUNTY BOARD’S HEALTH AND HOSPITALS COMMITTEE REGARDING THE INCREASED RATE OF COLORECTAL CANCER RATES IN POPULATIONS UNDER 45
WHEREAS, in the United States colon cancer and rectal cancer, collectively known as colorectal cancer (CRC), is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women; and
WHEREAS, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that in 2026 alone, approximately 108,860 new cases of CRC will be diagnosed in the US, with about 55,230 deaths; and
WHEREAS, the lifetime risk is such that about 1 in 25 men and 1 in 26 women will develop colorectal cancer; and
WHEREAS, alarmingly, cases of CRC are on the rise in younger adults, with 1 in 5 people being diagnosed with CRC is under age 55; and
WHEREAS, once thought as primarily a disease of older age, CRC is now the leading cause of cancer-related death among young adults and rising at an alarming rate in people under 50 - by nearly 3% per year - even as incidence has declined slightly in the overall population; and
WHEREAS, nearly 30% of Cook County’s population is between the ages of 20 and 39; and
WHEREAS, The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires both private insurers and Medicare to cover the costs of all colorectal cancer screening tests but only after an individual is 45 years old; and
WHEREAS, the cause for this sudden increase in CRC in young adults remains unclear and requires attention by all experts in this field;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners call for a convening of the Cook County Board’s Health and Hospitals Committee to conduct a hearing regarding the increase in colorectal cancer in young adults within Cook County and the necessary steps to ensure all residents have access to affordable preventative screenings.
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