Page 14 - Delaware Medical Journal - November/December 2020
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Addressing Disparities of Adolescent and Young
Adult Patients in the Treatment of Malignant
Diseases in Delaware
Katie Parisio, DO; Stephanie Guarino, MD, MSHP, FAAP
ABSTRACT
Adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer, ages 15-39 years,
are a vulnerable population. To address AYA disparities in the community and ultimately improve AYA outcomes, we
of care in our own state. A number of states within the United States include a section on AYAs in their cancer incidence reports. The Delaware Cancer Registry generates annual reports on new cancer cases, cancer treatment, and cancer deaths. Currently, the report favors data on the adult population. Upon request,
the Delaware Cancer Registry recreated the 2011-2015 Delaware Cancer Incidence Data from this incidence report detailed within the current article point to an
increased incidence of cervical cancer in non-Hispanic African American females, demonstrating the need for an increase in awareness for cervical cancer screenings in young adults in Delaware.
BACKGROUND
Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology
Adolescent and young adult oncology patients are recognized as a unique and needs.1 Over the past 30 years, tremendous strides have been made
survival rate among pediatric cancer patients under 15 years of age has
cancer types. However, the outcomes
of AYA patients remain subpar and continue to be worse than their pediatric counterparts for certain malignancies. It has been postulated that this disparity is potentially due to differences in patient and cancer biology, poor access to health care, lower participation in clinical trials, and treatment in facilities without AYA experience.2 Additionally, the psychosocial needs of AYA patients are different from their younger and older counterparts; understanding those needs is crucial to providing quality, AYA- 3
Leukemia
Some common cancer types among the AYA population that parallel those seen in the pediatric population, yet have important differences, are leukemias,
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Del Med J | November/December 2020 | Vol. 92 | No. 6
