Each year, more than 4,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 44 are diagnosed with cancer in Israel, with the rate of new cases on the rise, according to a new report from the Knesset's Research and Information Center.
The report indicates that despite the increase in cases, there is not a single public clinic in Israel officially designated as a cancer clinic for young adults, and there are also no rehabilitation or follow-up clinics for young cancer survivors.
According to the Ministry of Health's data presented in the report, from 2018 to 2022, 19,612 young people aged 18 to 44 were diagnosed with cancer in Israel, accounting for 16% of all cancer patients in the country during this period. The overwhelming majority of these young patients are women, making up 76%, primarily diagnosed with cervical cancer.
The study also highlights significant geographic disparities in early diagnosis. In the central district, the diagnosis rate is 7.1 per 1,000 people of the same age, while in the Tel Aviv district, the rate is 6.9. By contrast, in the northern district, the rate is 5 per 1,000, in Judea and Samaria it is 3.1, and in Jerusalem, it is 3 per 1,000 - the lowest rate.
85% of the young patients are women diagnosed with cervical cancer, 7% with breast cancer, 6% with melanoma skin cancer, 1% with bladder cancer, and 1% with cancer in other female reproductive organs. The report notes that PAP tests, which are publicly funded for women over 25, may have contributed to early diagnoses among women.
The report also points to a significant gap in the number of oncology clinics between the center and the periphery. In Tel Aviv, there are 12 oncology clinics, 11 in the central district, and 9 each in Haifa, the north, and Jerusalem. In the southern district, there are only 4 clinics, and there are no clinics at all in Judea and Samaria.
Shira Segal-Kaufman, CEO and founding partner of the "Chalasartan" association, said, "The report shows that young age is a barrier to early diagnosis, and thus young cancer patients 'fall between the cracks.' They need a dedicated solution. The state has already recognized this when the Nursing Administration issued a circular defining the role of a coordinating nurse for young adults, and the oncology nurse training program was updated accordingly. The need has been recognized, now it must be implemented, the positions must be filled, and we must ensure a true continuity of care from diagnosis through to recovery. This is a national responsibility."
She added, "Young cancer patients in Israel should not have to rely on donations to receive tailored treatment. The Chalasartan Association, founded in memory of Tal Jacobson, accompanies young people from the moment of diagnosis through youth clinics and 'helpers' who are survivors, in 8 hospitals across the country, continuing with them through recovery and rehabilitation, which are no less critical than the treatment periods."
MK Iman Khatib-Yassin (Ra'am), one of the initiators of the Knesset caucus for young cancer patients and survivors, said, "As a cancer survivor, I have known for many years that cancer is not a passing event. Treatment has consequences, and it has physical, emotional, and financial effects that accompany the patient and their family, sometimes for life."
She added, "Based on my personal and professional experience, I initiated the research in the Knesset, and I hope the state will take responsibility for the designated clinics for young people by funding them and establishing recovery clinics that will accompany patients over time. In the caucus, the need for early diagnosis was emphasized, recognizing symptoms that should raise red flags for young patients among community doctors and the public."