Bridging the Gap: A New Approach to Cancer Care for Younger Adults 

Cancer has long been thought of as a disease that primarily affects older adults. But that assumption is changing, and the numbers tell a different story. According to the National Cancer Institute, rates of colon, breast, uterine and kidney cancers are rising among people under age 50, with the sharpest increases among adults in their 20s. In Ohio alone, cancer rates for residents under 50 have climbed as much as 20% in recent years, even as rates for older adults have held steady or declined. 

This shift demands a new kind of response. And at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), that response has a name: BRIDGE. 

WHAT IS BRIDGE?

BRIDGE — Building Research Innovation and Care Delivery for Groups with Young Adult and Early-Onset Cancers — is a first-of-its-kind signature initiative of James CEO and OSUCCC Director W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, that is designed to serve patients between the ages of 18 and 50. It was developed and is co-led by surgeon-scientists Sara Myers, MD, PhD, and John Alexander, MD, who saw firsthand that younger cancer patients have needs that traditional care models simply weren’t designed to meet. 

Younger patients often face cancer while simultaneously raising children, building careers and managing financial obligations. They may carry underlying genetic risk factors that haven’t been identified. And their cancers can be more aggressive, requiring more personalized treatment strategies. 

“Unlike traditional programs that address clinical excellence, advocacy and research according to cancer type,” says Dr. Myers, “our initiative integrates these components into a single, cohesive framework to give our patients throughout their cancer journey — not just isolated treatment encounters. We are in the process of transforming this initiative into a cohesive program with efficient workflows that ensure systematic access to core supportive services like oncofertility and genetic testing while expanding offerings to include clinical trials, enhanced surveillance through predisposition clinics, wrap-around childcare and robust financial navigation.”

A NEW STANDARD OF COORDINATED CARE

At the heart of BRIDGE is coordination. Every OSUCCC – James patient between the ages of 18 and 50 will be offered critical services early in their treatment planning, not as an afterthought once treatment has been initiated. 

Those services include fertility counseling, universal genomic testing to identify genetic drivers, long-term survivorship support and community education about early screening and detection. Dedicated care coordinators will serve as central points of contact, connecting patients to the right resources at the right time and bridging communication between patients and their treatment teams. 

Dr. Myers says BRIDGE acts as an “umbrella,” bringing together existing OSUCCC – James support programs, including the Adolescent and Young Adult Program and JamesCare for Life, under one unified, proactive framework. 

FUELING RESEARCH TO FIND ANSWERS

Why are more young people developing cancer? That question remains one of oncology’s most urgent and unsolved challenges. BRIDGE takes it on directly through a competitive pilot research grant program, funded by Pelotonia and administered through the OSUCCC – James Intramural Research Program. 

These two-year grants will be awarded twice annually to cancer researchers at Ohio State or Nationwide Children’s Hospital, supporting high-risk, high-reward research into tumor biology, genetics, outcomes and care delivery for younger cancer patients. Up to three projects will be funded in the program’s first year. Applications were due in January 2026; the grants will begin in July 2026. 

Listen to the full story here on The James Cancer-Free World Podcast.

This article appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of the Pelotonia Insider, which can be found here.

“Many of these patients are navigating cancer while also building careers or raising young children. Cancer brings emotional, financial and physical stress,” says Dr. Rathmell. “BRIDGE will provide comprehensive services and support to streamline that journey, with the goal of improving outcomes.” 

A VISION FOR LASTING CHANGE

BRIDGE represents a $20 million, five-year commitment to building something that didn’t exist before: a comprehensive, research-driven home for younger adults facing cancer, including young parents and early-career professionals who never expected a cancer diagnosis at this stage of their lives. And it’s built not just to treat today’s patients, but to better understand and ultimately prevent the cancers of tomorrow. 

Listen to the full story here on The James Cancer-Free World Podcast.

This article appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of the Pelotonia Insider, which can be found here.