Abstract IA36: Caught in the middle: Viewing adolescent/young adult oncology patients as the medically underserved

Abstract

Abstract Traditionally cancer has been thought to arise in two distinct age groups, pediatrics and adults. In the United States, pediatric patients range in age from newborn up to 21 years old while adult patients are considered to be older than 21. Recently a new patient population has begun to emerge, collectively known as the adolescent-young adult (AYA) population. In the United States, AYA patients span the age range from 15-39 years old. Much is known about a variety of “adult” cancers and our understanding of “pediatric” cancers is steadily growing. Despite these advances, there is very little data regarding AYA-specific cancers. Furthermore, the differences in normal human development and/or maturation that are encompassed within the AYA age range is extremely dynamic thus leading to the hypothesis that the molecular and clinical characteristics of malignancies in AYA patients may be inherently different than those which are observed in patients outside of this age range. This talk will highlight some of the unique challenges faced by this medically underserved population as it pertains to cancer care, treatment, and outcome. This talk will also focus on the importance of the AYA oncology population to cancer research and our biological understanding of different malignancies as it pertains to precision medicine and subsequent therapeutic strategies. Citation Format: Troy A. McEachron. Caught in the middle: Viewing adolescent/young adult oncology patients as the medically underserved. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA36.