Young adult cancer patients face unique challenges
By Jaime
May 5, 2010
Caught between the worlds of pediatric oncology and adult medical oncology, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are in a unique situation. The AYA age range is defined as those between the ages of 15 and 39, according to the formal definition set forth by the Program Review Group, a joint task group between the National Cancer Institute and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The incidence of cancer among AYAs has been increasing in the past 25 years, and AYAs have a worse prognosis in general today than they did 25 years ago.
In addition, surviving cancer in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood is just the beginning. Late effects, often occurring years after treatment has finished, are becoming known and have serious impacts on quality of life, fertility and morbidity.
Between 1975 and 2000, the incidence of cancer increased for all age groups younger than 45 years of age, according to the National Cancer Institute. In almost all age groups, the five year survival rate has been steadily increasing, except for those individuals between the ages of 25 and 35, where there has been no improvement in survival.
There is no other age group for which the time to diagnosis is longer, clinical trial participation is lower, and fewer tumor specimens are available for research. With neither pediatric nor adult oncology adequately meeting the needs of this population and the age-specific issues these patients face, a new field of study in oncology is taking shape, as well as more and more support and advocacy groups like the LAF, Planet Cancer, Fertile Hope and i2y.
So what’s an AYA to do? Speak up, talk to your health care team about questions and concerns. Seek out online support groups or discussion forums. Planet Cancer has many discussion boards that talk about anything and everything AYAs might be facing. More and more cancer centers are facilitating post-treatment resource groups and discussions about dating, sex and fertility post-cancer; or adjusting back to college after treatment. It’s not perfect, and it’s far from adequate, but it’s a good start. And I think as a group, we AYAs can change the way care and support are given to us.
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