Journal article
Who Treats Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer? A Report from the AYA HOPE Study
Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology, Vol.4(3), pp.141-150
09/01/2015
DOI: 10.1089/jayao.2014.0041
PMCID: PMC4575540
PMID: 26421222
Abstract
Purpose:
Physicians play a critical role in delivering effective treatment and enabling successful transition to survivorship among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients. However, with no AYA cancer medical specialty, information on where and by whom AYAs with cancer are treated is limited.
Methods:
Using the National Cancer Institute's population-based AYA HOPE Study, 464 AYAs aged 15–39 at diagnosis treated by 903 physicians were identified. Differences in physician and hospital characteristics were examined by age at diagnosis and cancer type (germ cell cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL], and sarcoma) using chi-square tests.
Results:
Treating physicians were predominately 51–64 years old, male, United States–trained in non-pediatric specialties, and in group practices within large metropolitan areas. Older patients were less often treated by pediatric physicians (
p
< 0.01) and more likely to be treated by United States–trained physicians without research/teaching responsibilities and in hospitals without residency programs (
p
< 0.05). The majority of the few pediatricians (
n
= 44) treated ALL patients. Physicians with research/teaching responsibilities and those based in medical schools were more likely to treat patients with ALL and sarcoma compared with other cancer types (
p
< 0.01). Of HL patients, 73% were treated at a cancer center compared with 56% of patients with germ cell cancer (
p
< 0.01), while ALL (85%) and sarcoma (87%) patients were more likely to be treated in hospitals with residency programs (
p
< 0.01).
Conclusions:
Most AYAs with cancer were treated by non-pediatric physicians in community settings, although physician characteristics varied significantly by patient cancer type and age at diagnosis.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Who Treats Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer? A Report from the AYA HOPE Study
- Creators
- Helen M Parsons - 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TexasLinda C Harlan - 2Applied Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MarylandSusanne Schmidt - 1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TexasTheresa H.M Keegan - 3The Cancer Prevention Institute of California, Fremont, CaliforniaCharles F Lynch - 4Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IowaErin E Kent - 2Applied Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MarylandXiao-Cheng Wu - 5Louisiana Tumor Registry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LouisianaStephen M Schwartz - 6Epidemiology Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WashingtonRoland L Chu - 7Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MichiganGretchen Keel - 8Information Management Services, Calverton, MarylandAshley Wilder Smith - 2Applied Research Program, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MarylandAYA HOPE Collaborative Grp
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of adolescent and young adult oncology, Vol.4(3), pp.141-150
- DOI
- 10.1089/jayao.2014.0041
- PMID
- 26421222
- PMCID
- PMC4575540
- NLM abbreviation
- J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol
- ISSN
- 2156-5333
- eISSN
- 2156-535X
- Publisher
- Mary Ann Liebert, Inc
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/01/2015
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology
- Record Identifier
- 9983996070802771
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