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