Young Adult Cancer Services

Adolescence and young adulthood is a time of growth and personal development. Having cancer at this stage of life poses unique physical, social and emotional challenges.

The Young Adult Cancer Program at UC Irvine Medical Center was created specifically for patients between 18 and 30. Located at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, it is one of the few programs in the nation dedicated exclusively to young adults.

A special focus on young adults is important because cancer occurs less frequently in this age group than in children or older adults, making it more challenging to detect and diagnose. Also, the kinds of cancer that affect people in this age group are different. Having a special program for young adults with cancer helps ensure that they receive care that meets their unique needs.

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Special Needs

The types of malignancies that most often occur in young adults include:

• Bone and soft tissue sarcomas
• Brain tumors
• Leukemias (cancers of the blood)
• Lymphomas (cancers of the lymphatic system)
• Melanoma (skin cancer)
• Other cancers of the eye, nerve cells, liver and kidney
• Testicular cancer
• Thyroid cancer

Adolescents and young adults with cancer have different needs than children and older adults:

• The types of cancer that occur may not be familiar to oncologists who treat children and older adults
• Standard treatment protocols may not be the most beneficial for their age group
• Cancer therapies can affect growing and developing tissues
• Other cancers and “late effects” (complications) can arise later in life
• The disease and its treatment can affect learning processes
• Social impacts can be especially challenging at this age

Holistic Patient Care

Caring for patients with cancer begins with a careful diagnosis and staging (evaluation of the extent of the disease). The results will determine what treatment options are possible.

While treatments for cancers differ, they may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. And in addition to giving adolescents and young adults access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options available, the Young Adult Cancer Program focuses on the whole person as an individual. We are concerned with the patient’s overall wellness and recovery, as well as issues that can affect their psychosocial development and fertility. Our team stays in touch with patients over the long term, to promote proper follow-up and monitor their progress.

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Research

While clinical research studies can provide access to new, leading-edge therapies, few adolescents and young adults can participate, as they are too old for pediatric trials, but too young for adult trials. This is one of the reasons why comparatively less research information exists on cancer in young adults.

The Kids, Adolescents and Young Adults Cancer (KAYAK) research study at UC Irvine Medical Center was developed by Dr. Leonard Sender in partnership with Hoda Anton-Culver, Ph.D. Goals of the study include developing new treatment protocols, expanding access to clinical trials and investigating the unique biology of cancers in these groups. Participation is open to children, adolescents and young adults living in Orange County, Imperial County and San Diego Counties who have been diagnosed with cancer between birth and age 30.

KAYAK was developed in partnership with the Genetic Epidemiology Research Institute (GERI) at UC Irvine Medical Center.

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