Adolescent and young adult oncology

Adolescent and young adult oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients aged 13–30. Studies have continuously shown that while pediatric cancer survival rates have gone up, the survival rate for adolescents and young adults has remained stagnant. While many clinical trials exist for adults with cancer and children with cancer, AYAs underutilize clinical trials.[1][2] Most pediatric clinical trials serve patients up to age 21.[3] Additionally, AYAs face problems that adults and children rarely see including college concerns, fertility, and sense of aloneness.[4] Studies have often shown that treating young adults with the same protocols used in pediatrics is more effective than adult oriented treatments.[5]

In countries like the US and the UK, specialized AYA units have started to be built in children's and adult hospitals to cater to the need of these age groups. AYA wards are designed to be bright and welcoming with many games and televisions to keep patients busy.[6] The need for these spaces come from the findings that AYAs tend to prefer pediatric wards over adult wards, but do not like to be treated like children.[7]

AYA teams are usually made up of specialists that specialize in both pediatric and adult medicine.

United States

Internationally, different countries tend to treat the AYA age group in different environments. Most AYA treatment centers in the US are within larger children's hospitals. The organization, Teen Cancer America was created to establish more AYA wards in hospitals across the US, and currently there are about 21 hospitals affiliated with Teen Cancer America,[8] and many more with AYA programs. The American Academy of Pediatrics' opinion is that children should be under the care of a pediatrician until they deem not necessary, and children's hospitals in the US are increasingly treating older patients well into their twenties as a part of AYA and other adult programs.[9]

United Kingdom
Main article: Teenage Cancer Trust

The UK is seen to be one of the pioneers of AYA cancer care at its hospitals. Teenage Cancer Trust is a cancer care and support charity in the UK that exists to improve the cancer experience of young people aged 13–24.[10] Founded in 1990, the charity's key service is providing specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals. It also trains and funds staff who are teenage cancer specialists.[11] The units are dedicated areas for teenage and young adult patients, who are involved in their concept and creation. Medical facilities on the units are equipped with computers, TVs, game consoles, and bright colored design. The UK has over 28 units in children's hospitals and adult hospitals dedicated to AYAs aged 13–24.[12][13]

See also

References
  1. Tai, Eric; Buchanan, Natasha; Eliman, Dena; Westervelt, Lauren; Beaupin, Lynda; Lawvere, Silvana; Bleyer, Archie (June 2014). "Understanding and Addressing the Lack of Clinical Trial Enrollment Among Adolescents With Cancer". Pediatrics. 133 (Suppl 3): S98–S103. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-0122D. ISSN 0031-4005. PMC 6074033. PMID 24918214.
  2. Bleyer, Archie; Tai, Eric; Siegel, Stuart (August 2018). "Role of clinical trials in survival progress of American adolescents and young adults with cancer—and lack thereof". Pediatric Blood & Cancer. 65 (8): e27074. doi:10.1002/pbc.27074. ISSN 1545-5009. PMC 6077840. PMID 29667766.
  3. Chisholm, Julia; Hough, Rachael; Soanes, Louise (2018-02-27). A Practical Approach to the Care of Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer. Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-66173-5.
  4. Forum, National Cancer Policy; Services, Board on Health Care; Workshop, A. Livestrong and Institute of Medicine; Medicine, Institute of (2014-01-10). PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF AYA CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT. National Academies Press (US).
  5. "Childhood Leukemia Treatment Also Effective for Young Adults – National Cancer Institute". www.cancer.gov. 2019-02-25. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  6. "How A Space For Young People Can provide Relief During Cancer Treatment". Teen Cancer America. 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  7. Sadeghi, Narges; Abdeyazdan, Zahra; Motaghi, Minoo; Rad, Marzieh Ziaei; Torkan, Behnaz (2012). "Satisfaction levels about hospital wards' environment among adolescents hospitalized in adult wards vs. pediatric ones". Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research. 17 (6): 430–433. ISSN 1735-9066. PMC 3733288. PMID 23922584.
  8. "Teen Cancer America – Our Work". Teen Cancer America. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
  9. Hardin, Amy Peykoff; Hackell, Jesse M.; Medicine, Committee on Practice and Ambulatory (2017-09-01). "Age Limit of Pediatrics". Pediatrics. 140 (3): e20172151. doi:10.1542/peds.2017-2151. ISSN 0031-4005. PMID 28827380. S2CID 31354886.
  10. Bleyer, Archie W.; Barr, Ronald Duncan (2007-09-23). Cancer in Adolescents and Young Adults. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-3-540-68152-6.
  11. "History". www.teenagecancertrust.org. 2014-08-29. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  12. "Our specialist cancer units". www.teenagecancertrust.org. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  13. Taylor, Rachel M; Fern, Lorna A; Barber, Julie; Alvarez-Galvez, Javier; Feltbower, Richard; Morris, Stephen; Hooker, Louise; McCabe, Martin G; Gibson, Faith; Raine, Rosalind; Stark, Dan P (2019-04-20). "Description of the BRIGHTLIGHT cohort: the evaluation of teenage and young adult cancer services in England". BMJ Open. 9 (4): e027797. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027797. ISSN 2044-6055. PMC 6500338. PMID 31005941.
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