Many young adult cancer survivors do not follow up properly, independent of disease type or insurance
FRIDAY, Feb. 16, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Many adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors are not receiving adequate follow-up care, according to a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual Cancer Survivorship Symposium, held from Feb. 16 to 17 in Orlando, Fla.
Lynda M. Beaupin, M.D., from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., and colleagues compared trends in follow-up among AYA cancer survivors. Data were obtained for two sets of survivors: 852 patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2014 (cohort A) and 783 patients diagnosed between 2005 and 2009 (cohort B).
The researchers found that 2,367 AYAs were diagnosed between 2000 and 2015. Since 2015, 37 percent had no follow-up visit, with no significant variation seen across disease types. Overall, 33 and 48 percent of cohorts A and B, respectively, were not seen in 2016, regardless of insurance coverage. There was no correlation between follow-up status and disease type or insurance status.
“Many adolescents and young adults are unaware of what their long-term risks are after they have finished their cancer treatment,” Beaupin said in a statement. “Doctors and other health care providers need to be more diligent in letting these patients know about future potential side-effects and health risks that could occur based on certain aspects of their cancer treatment.”
One author disclosed financial ties to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.
Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
