Young adult cancer patients in the Czech Republic: Is there a need for national guidelines?

Abstract

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are a group of patients characterized by specific needs in cancer care. Although only 5 % of cancers are diagnosed in this age group, malignancies represent a significant burden in terms of years of healthy life lost and the consequences of cancer treatment. Important issues for young patients include diagnostic delay, promotion of primary prevention, biologically distinct tumor types, oncogenetic evaluation, unique psychosocial challenges, fertility issues, monitoring of adverse effects of treatment including the development of secondary malignancies, or the absence of age-specific clinical trials. The centralization of care and the formation of multidisciplinary teams dedicated to young patients will allow for a more comprehensive approach with a focus on these issues. One means of improving care for young cancer patients is the development of national guidelines and the organisation of international and national clinical trials.