Colorectal Cancer Alliance Rallies Support for Bipartisan Bill to Create First National Plan on Young Adult Cancers

Alliance Calls on Americans to Take Action with a Simple Step

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Key Takeaways:
- Reps. André Carson (D-Ind.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.) introduced bipartisan House legislation today to create the first national strategy on cancers in adults ages 18 to 49.
- The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is leading a national effort and asking patients, caregivers, advocates, and organizations to sign up and help pass the bill at crcancer.org/asal26.
- Named for the late advocate Asal Sayas, the bill would direct NIH to map research, launch a national education campaign, and reduce barriers to clinical trials for young adults.

The Colorectal Cancer Alliance, the nation’s largest nonprofit dedicated to ending colorectal cancer, today announced it is leading a national effort to build support for the Asal Sayas National Strategy on Young Adult Cancers Act, as Reps. André Carson (D-Ind.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.) introduced bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill would direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create the first national strategy on cancers in adults ages 18 to 49. Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate on June 9, 2026, by Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) as a cosponsor.

The Alliance is asking patients, caregivers, advocates, and organizations interested in supporting the bill to sign up at crcancer.org/asal26.

“Cancer doesn’t wait until 50, and neither can we,” said Michael Sapienza, CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. “Young adults are being diagnosed every day, often after months of waiting for answers. This bipartisan bill would give the country a plan to drive education, catch cancer sooner, and support young patients and their families. The Alliance is proud to lead this effort, and we need everyone to help us ensure this bill is passed.”

Why a National Plan is Needed
There is currently no national plan to understand why young-onset cancers are rising or to help young patients get diagnosed sooner. Here are the facts:
- 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 frequently mistaken for less serious conditions.
- Young adults wait an average of seven months from first symptoms to treatment, compared with one month for people 50 and older.
- Each year, about 200,000 young adults in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer and about 30,000 die from it.

What the Bill Would Do
Within 18 months of becoming law, NIH would be required to develop a national strategy to:
- Map current research on young adult cancers across federal agencies.
- Launch a national education campaign so the public and 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, academic research institutions, biomedical industry and community health institutions would help guide the strategy and report to Congress on its progress.

Named in Honor of Asal Sayas
Asal Sayas 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 journeys with directness and compassion. The bill carries her name and her mission forward.

How to Help
Individuals and organizations can join the Alliance’s advocacy efforts to support the bill at crcancer.org/asal26.

Supporting Partners
The following partners join the Colorectal Cancer Alliance in support of the Asal Sayas National Strategy on Young Adult Cancers Act: Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Coalition, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), American College of Gastroenterology, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Cancer Support Community, CancerCare, Cancer Nation, Cheeky Charity, Colon Cancer Coalition, Colon Cancer Stars, Colorectal Cancer Equity Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer, For the Breast of Us, Friends of Cancer Research, GI Cancers Alliance, Global Colon Cancer Association, Gloria Borges WunderGlo Foundation, Histiocytosis Association, Jacqueline Rush Foundation, Kids v Cancer, LUNGevity Foundation, Lymphoma Research Foundation, Man Up to Cancer, MIB Agents Osteosarcoma Alliance, One Cancer Place, PALTOWN Development Foundation/COLONTOWN, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Raymond Foundation, Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, Stupid Cancer, TargetCancer Foundation, Young Survival Coalition, and ZERO Prostate Cancer.

About The Colorectal Cancer Alliance
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is the leading patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending colon and rectal cancers. The Alliance helps people facing the disease today, while innovating toward a future where fewer people are diagnosed and more lives are saved. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance invests in innovation, supports patients and families, champions awareness and advocacy, and builds community to ensure no one faces this disease alone. For more information, visit colorectalcancer.org or call the helpline at (877) 422-2030. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok.

Emily Blasi
Colorectal Cancer Alliance
+1 202-971-9964
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