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.