Gaps in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Education in Oncology Fellowship Training.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs, 15-39 years) with cancer experience disparities in care and outcomes compared with older/younger patients. AYAs receive care from medical and pediatric oncologists, however, little is known about the extent of training fellows receive. This needs assessment evaluating current AYA oncology (AYA-O) education in pediatric and medical oncology fellowship programs to identify knowledge gaps for curricular development.

Management of pediatric differentiated thyroid cancer: An overview for the pediatric oncologist.

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most common childhood thyroid malignancy. The standard of care for pediatric DTC is total thyroidectomy followed by radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment when indicated. Molecular changes and potential therapeutic targets have been recently described in pediatric thyroid cancer.

Behavioral, Social, and Emotional Symptom Comorbidities and Profiles in Adolescent Survivors of Childhood Cancer: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Purpose: In the general population, psychological symptoms frequently co-occur; however, profiles of symptom comorbidities have not been examined among adolescent survivors of childhood cancer.

Patients And Methods: Parents of 3,893 5-year survivors of childhood cancer who were treated between 1970 and 1999 and who were assessed in adolescence (age 12 to 17 years) completed the Behavior Problems Index. Age- and sex-standardized z scores were calculated for symptom domains by using the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study sibling cohort.

Impact of the AYA HOPE Comorbidity Index on Assessing Health Care Service Needs and Health Status among Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer.

Background: Existing comorbidity indices were not developed for adolescent and young adults (AYA) 15 to 39 years of age. The aim of this study was to assess impact of comorbidities on health care service needs and health status among AYA cancer survivors using the newly developed AYA HOPE comorbidity index in comparison with the existing indices.

Methods: Data on comorbid conditions were obtained from medical records and service needs and health status were from a survey of AYA cancer survivors.

Fertility preservation knowledge, counseling, and actions among adolescent and young adult patients with cancer: A population-based study.

Background: The fertility of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer can be threatened by treatments, but to the authors' knowledge little is known regarding the extent to which providers discuss this with patients or recommend fertility preservation, or the patient and physician characteristics associated with these interactions.

Methods: Questionnaires from 459 AYA patients with cancer who were diagnosed between 2007 and 2008 and recruited through 7 US population-based cancer registries were analyzed using sex-specific multivariable models. The authors assessed characteristics associated with not discussing therapy effects on fertility or fertility preservation options, and not making fertility preservation arrangements.

Psychosocial and Neurocognitive Outcomes in Adult Survivors of Adolescent and Early Young Adult Cancer: A Report From the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Purpose: To characterize psychological and neurocognitive function in long-term cancer survivors diagnosed during adolescence and early young adulthood (AeYA).

Methods: Six thousand one hundred ninety-two survivors and 390 siblings in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study completed the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and a Neurocognitive Questionnaire. Treatment and demographic predictors were examined, and associations with social attainment (employment, education, and living independently) were evaluated.

Long-term non-cancer mortality in pediatric and young adult cancer survivors in Finland.

Background: Excess late mortality has been reported among pediatric cancer survivors, but there is a need to further establish risk profiles for non-cancer death and to examine cause-specific mortality among survivors of young adult cancers.

Procedures: In a nationwide record linkage study in Finland, we identified 9,245 5-year cancer survivors diagnosed before age 35 and treated between 1966 and 1999, and followed them for mortality endpoints from 1971 to 2008. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to compare the observed number of deaths with those expected in the general Finnish population.

Is there a role for a specialized follow-up clinic for survivors of pediatric cancer?

Due to advances in chemotherapy and supportive care, greater than 70% of patients with childhood cancer will survive 5 years. However, there are long-term physiological and psychological sequelae of these treatments that may not manifest until pediatric survivors are into adulthood. Various studies done in the long-term pediatric survivors have noted that they are at increased risk for poor health and for chronic health problems.

Health care utilization by adult Hispanic long-term survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: report from the Bone Marrow Transplant Survivor Study.

Background: Long-term hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) survivors have a high prevalence of severe and chronic health conditions, placing significant demands on the healthcare system. The objective of the current study was to evaluate and compare the healthcare utilization by adult Hispanic and non-Hispanic white long-term survivors of HCT.

Methods: A mailed questionnaire was used to assess self-reported healthcare utilization in 3 domains: general contact with healthcare system, general physical examination outside cancer center (GPE), and cancer/HCT center visit.