Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Research

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) who are being treated for cancer, as well as AYA cancer survivors, have special developmental, emotional and social needs. Meeting these needs of AYA is essential for successful treatment and quality of life outcomes.

Researchers at the Center for Childhood Cancer Research are developing and clinically validating psychosocial assessment tools and mHealth intervention strategies to improve medical, developmental and psychological outcomes for AYA cancer patients and their families.

The efforts of investigators at the CCCR have resulted in:

• Development and evaluation of AYA specific measures of health-related quality of life and transition readiness
• Development and evaluation of tools to understand attitudes towards phase III clinical trials and to support decision-making of AYA with cancer and their families around treatment on clinical trials
• Enhanced understanding of the interplay of caregiver competence, family management, and neurocognitive and health-related quality of life outcomes for AYA with cancer
• Enhanced understanding of factors that contribute to long-term follow-up care for AYA with cancer
• Development of mobile health interventions (using apps, text messages, and electronic survivorship care plans) to support AYA cancer survivors in better managing their health and adjustment off treatment
• Development and evaluation of web-based interventions to improve family management for caregivers of AYA survivors of brain tumors