As a breast cancer survivor and American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (CAN) advocate, I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to ask Congress to make fighting cancer a national priority. Among our top asks for Congress was urging members to create a pathway to coverage for new technology to improve cancer early detection and save lives.

Several companies are developing blood tests to detect multiple cancers early. These multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests are intended to complement, not replace, existing early detection tests. According to published data, some of these tests can screen for more than 50 cancers at once, including rare cancers. A fellow advocate had this test done at OSHU. She is a five-time skin cancer survivor and has a family history of cancer. She had a negative test result within 10 business days.

Congress is considering legislation to create a pathway for Medicare to cover this technology following FDA approval. The Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act would ensure Medicare recipients don’t face unacceptable delays in accessing these new tests once they are FDA-approved and proven effective.

Detecting cancer early could be the difference between life or death. Congressman Cliff Bentz can help save lives in Oregon by supporting this legislation.

Karen Malcolm

Pendleton