Learn more about the essential minimum standards for specialist Adolescent and Young Adult cancer care units in this insightful webinar.

For young cancer survivors, transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare is a pivotal yet challenging phase. This shift marks not only a change in medical care but also a transformation encompassing physical, emotional, and social hurdles. Adolescents and young adults (AYAs), aged 15 to 39, face unique needs often overlooked in traditional cancer care systems.

Our webinar brought together healthcare professionals, survivors, and advocates to address these challenges, offering recommendations for creating inclusive, effective healthcare systems across Europe. The discussions emphasized collaboration, education, and systemic change to empower AYAs to thrive beyond survival.

Why AYAs Need Specialized Care

AYAs represent only 3–4% of cancer diagnoses in adult oncology, yet their cases are uniquely complex due to the diversity of cancer types they face—from pediatric-like leukemias to adult-onset cancers like breast or colorectal cancer. This spectrum demands care from multidisciplinary teams experienced in both pediatric and adult oncology.

Beyond medical complexity, AYAs often contend with long-term treatment effects, including infertility, mental health struggles, and risks of secondary cancers. Balancing these challenges with education, careers, and relationships underscores the need for holistic, age-specific care.

Challenges in AYA Cancer Care

Fragmented Healthcare Systems

Pediatric care emphasizes holistic, family-centered support, while adult systems prioritize individual treatment. This disconnect often leaves AYAs unsupported during transitions.

Lack of Specialized Training

Many adult oncology providers lack training to address AYA-specific needs, such as fertility preservation and survivorship planning.

Limited Access to Resources

Access to essential services like mental health counseling, survivorship care, and fertility preservation is often inadequate, particularly for marginalized groups.

Transforming AYA Care: Key Recommendations

A unique feature of this initiative was peer visits, where young survivors evaluated hospitals across Europe. Their findings highlighted the importance of peer support, holistic services, and dedicated multidisciplinary teams in reducing isolation and improving care quality. This gathered data contributed to the creation of the position paper  “Recommendation and Implementation Roadmap for Minimum Standards of Specialist Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Care Units”, reinforcing the efforts of EU-CAYAS-NET to improve the quality of life of AYA cancer survivors within the European Union and beyond.

For more insights, watch the full webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-CjOwc9KMo