Report from the Lymphoma Research Foundation Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Lymphoma Scientific Workshop, May 2019

Abstract

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) lymphoma is defined as lymphoma diagnosed in patients between 15 and 39 years of age. When compared to children and adults, AYAs have not seen the same improvement in survival over recent years, even with the introduction of novel agents and interventions. This survival gap is driven by multiple compounding factors, including unique disease biology, challenges with survivorship care, socioeconomic factors, and cancer care treatment setting, among others. There is no established standard of care for AYA lymphomas, and many clinical trials do not evaluate AYAs as a separate subgroup or include measures that are of particular importance to AYAs. The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF), the nation’s largest non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to lymphoma research and patient advocacy, hosted its inaugural AYA Consortium Meeting to discuss research findings that support the recognition of AYAs as a distinct group of lymphoma patients. Attendees, comprised of expert lymphoma researchers and clinicians, discussed unmet needs, gaps in data, and strategies for improving AYA care clinical and psychosocial outcomes. This report, which includes a summary of each presentation, aims to review recent findings in AYA lymphoma research and highlight potential areas for future study.