A national plan for young adults facing cancer
The Asal Sayas National Strategy on Young Adult Cancers Act would direct the National Institutes of Health to create the first national strategy on cancers in adults ages 18 to 49.
Help create the first national plan for young adult cancers
The Asal Sayas National Strategy on Young Adult Cancers Act would direct the National Institutes of Health to create a national strategy to find out why cancer is rising in adults ages 18 to 49, catch it earlier, and better support young patients and their families. We need patients, caregivers, advocates, and organizations to help get it passed. Tell us how you would like to get involved.
Cancer doesn't wait until 50
Young adults are being diagnosed every day, often after months of waiting for answers. Awareness and early action save lives.
About 200,000 young adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
7 months: the average time from first symptoms to treatment for young adults, compared to 1 month for people 50 and older.
About 30,000 young adults die from cancer each year.
Why do young adults need a national plan?
Cancer in adults under 50 is rising, and colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in this group.
Young adults are often diagnosed late. Most are too young for routine screening, and their symptoms are often mistaken for less serious conditions. By the time they reach a cancer specialist, the disease is more likely to be advanced.
There is no national plan to find out why these cancers are rising or to help young patients get diagnosed sooner. This bill would change that. Get involved today to help pass the bill.
What would the bill do?
The bill would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create a national strategy within 18 months of becoming law.
The strategy would:
- Map current research on young adult cancers across federal agencies
- Launch a national education campaign so the public and health care providers recognize symptoms and risk factors sooner
- Set research priorities on causes, biomarkers, earlier detection, and new treatments
- Reduce barriers that keep young adults out of clinical trials
- Address the needs of young patients and caregivers, including fertility, mental health, and work
- Create an online federal resource hub for patients, caregivers, providers, and researchers
A federal committee that includes patient advocacy groups would help guide the strategy and report to Congress on its progress.
Where does the bill stand?
The bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate on June 9, 2026, by Sen. Edward J. Markey, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar as a cosponsor.
Named in honor of Asal Sayas
Asal was a policy expert and a tireless advocate for people living with colorectal cancer. She understood, from personal experience, what it meant to face this disease, and she supported fellow patients through their own cancer journeys with directness and compassion. Her legacy lives on in this bill.
Help us pass this bill
If you are an individual or organization that would like to get involved to help us pass this bill, please sign up. You can also find more ways to advocate by reviewing the full list of the Alliance’s policies and priorities.