A retrospective study of mortality among teenage and young adult (TYA) cancer patients in India.

Abstract

e13110 Background: TYAs are a unique group struggling with cancer but also with personal transitions of life. Outcomes of cancer in this group are poorly reported as most reports either address pediatric or adult patients. We evaluated mortality among TYA cancer retrospectively to better understand their journey with cancer. Methods: Teenage and Young adults (15 – 29 years) , from four institutes were included in the retrospective study for the year 2017. Eight hundred and seven of 1310 patients with cancer diagnoses or caregivers were telephonically contacted, in a predefined questionnaire including questions on mortality. Results: Three hundred seventy-two (46.1%) of 807 TYA cancer patients died . Distance and time travel to hospital, demography and alternative medicine were a significant factor for increased mortality. Gender and the age epochs within the TYA group did not determine mortality. One hundred and sixty-two patients died while on treatment whereas 136 patients died while not on any treatment. Seventy-four patients died at disease relapse. Those who died of cancer survived for a median of 180 days (5 - 2340 days). One hundred and four patients (12.9%) died within 90 days of diagnosis.There were significantly more deaths ( 30.4%) in patients who abandoned treatment, than among patients who went on therapy ( 18.6%). ( p 0.0001). Conclusions: Mortality among TYAs with cancer in India is high and is determined largely by factors like demography and logistics.