Dr. Allison Rosenthal, an oncologist at Mayo Clinic, is uniquely qualified to understand cancer care needs for the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population.
“I have some experience with being in their shoes,” she says.
While in medical school, Dr. Rosenthal was diagnosed with leukemia. That experience not only inspired her to pursue a career fighting cancer, but it also gave her firsthand insight into how cancer affects the lives of AYAs, defined as people diagnosed between ages 15 and 39.
Today, Dr. Rosenthal is among the leaders of an effort at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center to help younger adults and older teens receive age-appropriate care and support through its Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program. “I have a very big passion and motivation to take care of our younger cancer patients,” she explains. “These are some of the people who need the most support.”
Understanding the unique needs of AYAs with cancer
Worldwide, roughly 1.3 million people ages 15 to 39 were diagnosed with cancer in 2022, the most recent statistics available, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The most common cancers in that age group were breast, thyroid, cervical, testicular, ovarian, blood cancers (leukemias and lymphomas), and colorectal.
“Having cancer when you’re 22 is not the same as having it when you’re 70,” says Dr. Rosenthal. “We need to acknowledge that the needs are different in order to get the best possible outcomes.”
Adolescence and early adulthood are generally marked by significant life transitions, which can present additional challenges when combined with a cancer diagnosis. While some of these patients receive care at pediatric centers, the majority are cared for in adult cancer centers. However, Dr. Rosenthal explains that patients in the AYA population don’t fit well with either patient population, as these patients have distinct biology, clinical outcomes, and psychosocial needs.
For instance, AYA patients may be students in high school or college, living independently, caught between losing coverage under parental medical insurance and finding their own, and starting families. Fertility also can be impacted by cancer and its treatment, making counseling imperative. AYA patients may have to manage the feeling of being different from their peers and can face isolation or difficulty navigating relationships.
The Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program “is predicated on the idea that centering care around their unique needs improves their experience and outcomes,” Dr. Rosenthal explains. In addition to individual feedback from patients, the program has a patient advisory council whose participants share what is important to them.
“We’ve tried to prioritize what we’re working on based on the feedback we’re getting from our patients who are in the midst of this experience,” she says.
Comprehensive care, designed specifically for AYAs
Mayo Clinic’s Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program is leading the way in the full spectrum of care for this population — from timely diagnoses and personalized treatments, to the latest research and clinical trials, to support networks and survivorship services.
Patients benefit from a multidisciplinary care team, which includes cancer specialists, social workers, health psychologists, and financial counselors. In addition, patient and nurse navigators work with patients and their families to understand their unique needs and help make sure they stay on track with their treatment and follow-up appointments.
Mayo Clinic also facilitates peer support groups that play an important role in helping AYA cancer patients know they’re not alone. After her diagnosis, Dr. Rosenthal says she benefitted from connecting with a peer diagnosed with cancer whom she met through a connection of her parents. “Having someone to relate to through treatment and into survivorship was invaluable,” she says.
Advances in cancer treatments have made many of the cancers most common in younger people highly treatable and often curable. While long-term disease control or a cure is the objective, completing treatment doesn’t necessarily mean that a younger person’s experience with cancer is over. There can be longstanding emotional and physical impacts that go along with having experienced cancer, which can affect people as they try to move forward in life.
“We’re really fortunate that the majority of young adult patients who get cancer care are going to do well in the long term; there are going to be a lot of long-term survivors,” Dr. Rosenthal says. “By paying attention to long-term outcomes, quality of life, and the monitoring and maintenance of health, we’re able to provide the full-service care these patients really deserve.”
To request an appointment or learn more, visit the Mayo Clinic Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program website.
