Asal Sayas National Strategy on Young Adult Cancers Act

Key Points

• The bill requires the NIH Director to develop a national strategy focused on cancer in adults aged 18 to 49 within 18 months. Cancer cases in this age group have risen sharply, with about 200,000 young adults diagnosed and 30,000 dying from cancer each year in the U.S.
• A national education campaign would help both the public and doctors recognize early warning signs of cancer in younger people. Young adults currently face an average 7-month delay between when symptoms start and when treatment begins, compared to just 1 month for people over 50.
• The strategy would look at ways to improve cancer screening for younger people and reduce insurance barriers. Many current screening rules miss young adults even as rates of colorectal and lung cancers are climbing in this group.
• The bill calls for a new online clearinghouse giving patients, caregivers, and researchers easy access to information on risk factors, clinical trials, research funding, and clinical practice guidelines.
• A Federal Coordinating Committee on Young Adult Cancers would be created with members from across government, including the CDC, FDA, VA, DOD, EPA, and patient advocacy groups. The committee must report to Congress on progress at least every two years.
• The bill recommends establishing National Centers of Excellence for Young Adult Cancers within the National Cancer Institute to serve as research, clinical care, and education hubs across the country.