Raising awareness for the sarcoma cancer chordoma.
H. Res. 172 is a House resolution, introduced February 27, 2025, that expresses the sense of the House regarding the sarcoma cancer chordoma. It emphasizes raising awareness and urges increased funding and support for chordoma-related efforts in four areas: accurate and early diagnosis, development of new treatments and cures, reducing barriers between research and new treatments, and adopting patient-centric approaches to drug discovery and development. The bill provides background on chordoma — a slow-growing but aggressive bone cancer of the skull and spine — and notes its impact, including roughly 25,000 people affected worldwide and about 300 new US cases each year. It is a non-binding resolution and does not authorize spending or create new programs; it simply signals congressional priorities and directs the relevant committee (Energy and Commerce) to consider these issues.
Key Points
- 1Legislative form and purpose: A non-binding resolution that expresses the sense of the House regarding chordoma awareness and policy priorities; introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2Disease overview and burden: Chordoma is a slow-growing but aggressive bone cancer located in the skull and spine; affects people of all ages; about 25,000 cases worldwide and around 300 US cases annually; challenging to treat due to involvement of critical structures; high recurrence even after surgery or radiation; no drugs are known to cure or effectively control it.
- 3Four prioritized areas for action: (1) accurate and early diagnosis; (2) development of new treatments, diagnostics, and cures; (3) reducing hurdles between research and new treatments (translation from research to practice); (4) patient-centric approaches to drug discovery and development.
- 4Sponsorship and process: Sponsored by Mr. Johnson of Georgia, with several co-sponsors; referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce; no funding or program authorizations are created by this resolution.
- 5Policy implication: Signals congressional support for chordoma research and patient support, potentially shaping future legislation, funding requests, and regulatory or research priority discussions.