S. 4993: Precision Oncology Program for Cancer of the Prostate Authorization Act of 2026

This bill would create a new Veterans Affairs program focused on precision oncology for prostate cancer. In practical terms, it would set up a nationwide VA network to improve how prostate cancer is diagnosed, studied, and treated for veterans, especially those with advanced disease or specific genetic mutations.

What the VA would have to do

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs would be required to establish the program by January 1, 2027. The program would include:

• A central leadership team within the VA.
• A network of VA medical centers designated as centers of excellence for prostate cancer precision medicine.
• Genetic sequencing for veterans with advanced prostate cancer.
• A uniform sequencing platform so centers can coordinate their work.
• A prostate cancer registry and data repository.
• Clinical trials focused on biomarkers and specific genetic findings.
• Telemedicine tumor board participation so specialists can consult across locations.
• Travel support for veterans with relevant mutations so they can access studies.
• Metastasis biopsy capability at the centers.

Who could participate

Any veteran diagnosed with prostate cancer would be eligible to participate in the program.

Where it would operate

The bill names 24 VA medical centers that would immediately become provisional centers of excellence. It also requires the VA to keep at least 21 centers operating at all times, with at least one center in each Veterans Integrated Service Network.

The listed centers include facilities in cities such as Seattle, Bronx, Ann Arbor, Manhattan, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Durham, Washington, Tampa, Portland, Boston, San Francisco, Houston, Aurora, St. Louis, Kansas City, Atlanta, Charleston, Orlando, Baltimore, Little Rock, Madison, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Dallas, and Gainesville.

Staffing and responsibilities

Each center would have to employ, at minimum:

• a medical oncologist,
• an interventional radiologist,
• a urologist,
• a radiation oncologist,
• a pathologist, and
• two full-time research staff members.

Centers would also be expected to participate in research, mentoring, monthly coordination calls, and in-person meetings. They would help run clinical trials, share data, and extend resources to affiliated VA centers in their region.

Leadership structure

The bill would create a Program Leadership team based at the Seattle VA Medical Center. That team would include an Executive Director, Clinical Director, and Research Director. Their responsibilities would include:

• coordinating the network and national strategy,
• working with industry and research partners,
• supporting VA investigators with less experience,
• setting up hybrid and remote clinical trial systems, and
• maintaining the prostate cancer registry and data repository.

Reviews and reporting

Starting in 2030, the VA would have to review the performance of the centers of excellence. No more than seven centers would be reviewed each year, and all centers would need to be reviewed on a rolling five-year cycle.

The VA would also have to submit an annual report by March 1 each year. The report would cover funding, how many veterans were served, how many researchers and providers were involved, publications, clinical studies, enrollment in studies, survival data, and other outcomes. A broader implementation plan would also be required within 180 days of enactment.

Funding

The bill authorizes $15.5 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2029 to carry out the program.

Relevant Companies

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