119-hr4841

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4841 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4841

 To require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to conduct a 
 review of the current state of stomach cancer incidence, prevention, 
 screening, awareness, and future public health importance, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 August 1, 2025

 Ms. Chu (for herself and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and 
 Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
 Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
 within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to conduct a 
 review of the current state of stomach cancer incidence, prevention, 
 screening, awareness, and future public health importance, and for 
 other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Stomach Cancer Prevention and Early 
Detection Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) Stomach cancer accounts for about 1.5 percent of all 
 new cancers diagnosed in the United States each year.

    (2) It is estimated that there will be nearly 30,300 new 
 cases of stomach cancer in 2025.

    (3) There are disparities in stomach cancer incidence and 
 mortality among racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

    (4) While there has been a decline in stomach cancer 
 incidence, the lack of awareness and focus on risk factors and 
 early detection through screening and surveillance may cause 
 individuals at high risk for the disease to dismiss their 
 symptoms.

    (5) Establishing a basis for stomach cancer prevalence, 
 awareness, current screening, and implications for future 
 public health importance will allow for--
        (A) more effective outreach and screening among 
 individuals at risk;
        (B) increased awareness and education among the 
 general public to prevent stomach cancer; and
            (C) increased awareness and education among health 
 care providers regarding gastric cancer disparities, 
 screening, treatment, and monitoring.

SEC. 3. NCI REVIEW ON CURRENT STATE OF STOMACH CANCER INCIDENCE, 
 PREVENTION, SCREENING, AWARENESS, AND FUTURE PUBLIC 
 HEALTH IMPORTANCE.

    (a) Review.--The Director of the National Cancer Institute shall 
conduct a review of--

    (1) the current incidence of stomach cancer in the United 
 States;

    (2) the risk factors for stomach cancer, including the 
 incidence of such risk factors among high-risk populations and 
 the general public;

    (3) the optimal age range to test for and treat 
 Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, as a risk factor, 
 for the purpose of primary prevention in high-risk populations 
 and the general population;

    (4) the availability and frequency of screening for stomach 
 cancer, including utilization and effectiveness, among high-
 risk populations;

    (5) the availability and effectiveness of endoscopic 
 screenings in high-risk populations;

    (6) the availability and effectiveness of endoscopic 
 resection and surveillance endoscopy for patients with 
 confirmed gastric intestinal metaplasia

    (GIM) with high-grade 
 dysplasia and early gastric cancer;

    (7) the benefits of surveillance endoscopy for patients at 
 elevated risk, including patients with gastric intestinal 
 metaplasia

    (GIM) who are at increased risk of gastric cancer 
 due to ethnic background, family history, or other risk 
 stratification parameters such as smoking and H. pylori 
 infection;

    (8) current awareness and education about stomach cancer 
 risk factors, prevention, symptoms, screening, and treatment 
 options among high-risk populations and the general public; and

    (9) current Federal efforts to increase awareness and 
 education of stomach cancer among high-risk populations and the 
 general public.

    (b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director of the National Cancer Institute shall--

    (1) submit to the Congress a report on the results of the 
 review under subsection

    (a) ; and

    (2) include in such report recommendations for--
        (A) establishing a clear definition of high-risk 
 populations in the United States;
        (B) informing researchers, clinicians, physicians, 
 patients, and other relevant stakeholders on--
            (i) identifying high-risk individuals; and
            (ii) effective methods for detecting 
 precancerous lesions and early gastric cancer;
            (C) establishing routine screening guidelines for 
 stomach cancer; and
            (D) actions to improve research on, prevention and 
 early diagnosis of, and screening and treatment for 
 stomach cancer.

SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE STUDY ON STOMACH CANCER INCIDENCE AND 
 RISK FACTORS AMONG MILITARY PERSONNEL.

    (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
Director of the National Cancer Institute and the Director of the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall conduct a study on 
the incidence, risk factors, prevention, and early detection of stomach 
cancer among members of the Armed Forces and former members of the 
Armed Forces.

    (b) Elements.--The study under subsection

    (a) shall include--

    (1) an examination of--
        (A) the incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates 
 of stomach cancer among members of the Armed Forces 
 serving on active duty and former members of the Armed 
 Forces who served on active duty;
        (B) the identification of service-related or 
 deployment-related risk factors, including exposure to 
 burn pits, hazardous chemicals, contaminated water, 
 occupational hazards, and endemic infections such as 
 Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori);
            (C) disparities in stomach cancer outcomes based on 
 race, ethnicity, gender, Armed Force, or geographic 
 deployment history within military populations;
            (D) the availability and use of stomach cancer 
 screening, diagnostic, and treatment services within 
 the military health system and the health system of the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs; and
        (E) opportunities to improve prevention and early 
 detection strategies within the military health system 
 and the health system of the Department of Veterans 
 Affairs; and

    (2) relevant coordination with the Surveillance, 
 Epidemiology, and End Results Program and other national cancer 
 registries to ensure comprehensive data collection and 
 analysis.
            (c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
Congress a report on the findings of the study under subsection

    (a) , 
including--

    (1) policy and programmatic recommendations to reduce 
 stomach cancer incidence and mortality among members of the 
 Armed Forces and former members of the Armed Forces; and

    (2) proposed strategies for integrating stomach cancer 
 awareness, screening, and treatment protocols into the military 
 health system and the health system of the Department of 
 Veterans Affairs.
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