A European Network for Teenagers and Young Adults with Cancer

The power of art and the powers of adolescents with cancer: Age-specific projects at Italian pediatric oncology centers

This article describes the oncology programs developed in Italy for adolescents and young adults with cancer, with a specific focus on the local projects created in pediatric oncology centers. A common feature of such projects is the emphasis on creative and artistic activities and laboratories (involving music, photography, novel writing, fashion design, and so on) designed to give young patients innovative means of expression.This article highlights the amazing powers of adolescents involved in these projects: the power to produce beautiful things in a place that is not normally associated with the idea of beauty; the power to make their doctors smile and grasp the profound sense of life; the power to make hospitals become places for producing culture.

Have we made progress in taking care of adolescents and young adults with cancer? Results of a European multi-professional survey

BACKGROUND

It is well documented that traditional health care models do not meet the specific needs of Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) cancer patients.

METHODS

We explore a map of the development of age-specific AYA cancer care across Europe, from the perspective of healthcare professionals with an interest in AYA care, in order to understand the specific challenges and map progress over time. An on-line survey was developed by international professional cancer organisations.

RESULTS

We had 377 respondents from 60 countries. The majority of respondents were physicians 298 (79%), a minority of survey respondents (39, 10.4%) work exclusively with AYA patients, most respondents declared substantial and routine clinical service collaborations to provide care and treatment to AYA with cancer. Policy for the multidisciplinary management of AYA cancer patients commonly appears in Europe now, and was reported by 234 (78.52%) respondents. Specific professional training for AYA cancer care is not uniformly available.

CONCLUSION

There is considerable opportunity for many organisations to work together in raising the profile of AYA cancer related issues, in providing education and in encouraging research and collaboration.

Challenging Outlook of Caring for Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer in Brazil: Results of a Nationwide Survey

PURPOSE

The global burden of cancer in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) emerges as a major public health issue, in which remarkable challenges and unmet needs are evident. Because of sociodemographic inequalities, initiatives to change this scenario need to be expanded globally, particularly to low-middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to gain information about the standards of AYA cancer care in Brazil from the physician's perspective.

METHODS

Physicians involved in AYA cancer care were invited to answer a national online survey. The questions covered several aspects from health care's demographics to specialized services availability, such as fertility and genetic counseling. The availability of a specialized AYA cancer care facility was the primary study end point, and the findings were stratified by region and treatment setting (public v private).

RESULTS

Among the physicians who responded (N = 249), 90% reported no access to a specialized AYA service. Only 20% had access to a fertility specialist, and 30% to a survivorship program in their institutions. Even external referrals to medical specialties were challenging, with 24% of the physicians reporting challenges. Despite the potential cardiotoxicity related to treatments, 43% of the respondents reported to refer patients for cardio-oncologists hardly ever. Furthermore, 36% of physicians had never enrolled AYA patients into clinical trials and 42% had never ordered a genetic test. Lack of specialized human resources was particularly evident in Northern Brazil, and delays in cancer diagnoses were frequent.

CONCLUSION

This first study addresses standards of AYA cancer care across Brazil. Importantly, the data disclose significant infrastructural gaps, implying that major investments in training and infrastructure are urgently needed. These data may mirror other LMICs reality.

Italian pediatric and adult oncology communities join forces for a national project dedicated to adolescents and young adults with cancer

Adolescents and young adults with cancer have substantially different clinical and psychological needs compared to those of pediatric patients and of older adult patients. We describe the development of an Italian national project dedicated to adolescents and young adults with cancer.