Where do teenagers and young adults receive treatment for cancer?

TY - CHAP

T1 - Where do teenagers and young adults receive treatment for cancer?

AU - Davies, Elizabeth

AU - Whelan, Jeremy

AU - Dolbear, Catherine

AU - Mak, Vivian

AU - Moller, Henrik

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Objectives: To determine where teenagers and young adults receive their first treatment for cancer, and whether they are referred outside their cancer network to a specialised cancer centre. Method: We extracted data on 2,260 residents diagnosed with a malignant neoplasm between the ages of 10 and 24 in the years 1998 to 2002 in South East England covered by the Thames Cancer Registry. We identified 11 cancer network areas of residence, and the hospital and network area where each patient received their first treatment. We chose to study first chemotherapy because this is an important, usually complex component of management of many tumour types in this age group. We classified hospitals as paediatric oncology centres, cancer centres with a teenage cancer unit, or as adult cancer centres or units. We then examined how many patients travelled outside their network of residence for chemotherapy and how many remained within it, analyzing data for the age groups, 10 to 14, 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 years separately. Results: Forty-five percent (1,018) of patients were recorded as having received chemotherapy. Two networks had a paediatric oncology centre, and one a paediatric oncology centre and a teenage cancer unit. The majority of 10 to 14 year olds were referred from their network of residence to a paediatric oncology centre or teenage cancer unit. However, there was an increasing tendency for patients aged 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 to be treated within their network of residence and to be referred less commonly to a specialist service. The exceptions were patients living in two networks with either a teenage cancer unit or a paediatric oncology centre. Conclusions Many young people with cancer are not referred to age-appropriate services. The absence of any pattern to referral, despite the presence of a teenage cancer unit in the area, suggests a lack of coordinated referral practice within and between cancer networks.

AB - Objectives: To determine where teenagers and young adults receive their first treatment for cancer, and whether they are referred outside their cancer network to a specialised cancer centre. Method: We extracted data on 2,260 residents diagnosed with a malignant neoplasm between the ages of 10 and 24 in the years 1998 to 2002 in South East England covered by the Thames Cancer Registry. We identified 11 cancer network areas of residence, and the hospital and network area where each patient received their first treatment. We chose to study first chemotherapy because this is an important, usually complex component of management of many tumour types in this age group. We classified hospitals as paediatric oncology centres, cancer centres with a teenage cancer unit, or as adult cancer centres or units. We then examined how many patients travelled outside their network of residence for chemotherapy and how many remained within it, analyzing data for the age groups, 10 to 14, 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 years separately. Results: Forty-five percent (1,018) of patients were recorded as having received chemotherapy. Two networks had a paediatric oncology centre, and one a paediatric oncology centre and a teenage cancer unit. The majority of 10 to 14 year olds were referred from their network of residence to a paediatric oncology centre or teenage cancer unit. However, there was an increasing tendency for patients aged 15 to 19 and 20 to 24 to be treated within their network of residence and to be referred less commonly to a specialist service. The exceptions were patients living in two networks with either a teenage cancer unit or a paediatric oncology centre. Conclusions Many young people with cancer are not referred to age-appropriate services. The absence of any pattern to referral, despite the presence of a teenage cancer unit in the area, suggests a lack of coordinated referral practice within and between cancer networks.

M3 - Meeting abstract

SP - 32

EP - 32

BT - UK Association of Cancer Registries and Netherlands Cancer Registries 15th Annual Conference, Abstracts

PB - UKACR

T2 - UK Association of Cancer Registries and Netherlands Cancer Registries Conference. 15th Annual Conference

Y2 - 18 October 2006 through 20 October 2006

ER -