Lawmakers hear push to create statewide pancreatic cancer screening, referral program

State lawmakers and medical experts on Feb. 3 urged the Public Health Committee to approve Senate Bill 1191, a measure to create a statewide pancreatic‑cancer screening and referral program aimed at identifying patients at high risk and catching disease early enough for effective treatment.

Supporters said pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed too late for curative surgery and cited genetic markers and targeted imaging as tools to raise survival. They asked the committee to ensure screening is accessible to under‑insured and uninsured residents.

Representative Robin Comey, who opened the hearing for the bill, said the proposal came to her attention through constituents and families who have lost loved ones. “Pancreatic cancer is insidious,” she told the committee, noting it is a leading cause of cancer death in Connecticut and that by the time symptoms prompt medical visits it is…