Cancer in adolescents and young adults: treatment and outcome in Victoria.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the location of treatment, recruitment to clinical trials and outcomes for adolescents and young adults treated for cancer in Victoria.


METHODS
Retrospective review of all adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years diagnosed with cancer between 1992 and 1996, identified from the Victorian Cancer Registry.


METHODS
Treatment regimen (clinical trial, treatment protocol or neither), compliance with treatment and 5-year survival.


RESULTS
Questionnaires were completed for 576 of 665 eligible adolescents and young adults (87% response rate). Recruitment into clinical trials decreased with increasing age. Adolescents aged 10-19 years were more likely to be recruited to a clinical trial if treated at a paediatric hospital. For all cancers, 5-year survival was similar across the age groups and was not influenced by the place of treatment. Only 1% of adolescents and young adults failed to complete planned therapy due to non-compliance.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite a similar incidence of cancer to that in younger children, adolescents and young adults with cancer are poorly recruited into clinical trials in Victoria. Establishment of a cancer resource network in Victoria may provide information to both paediatric and adult oncologists about currently available clinical trials.
Mitchell
Anne E
AE
Department of Haematology and Oncology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Scarcella
Deborah L
DL
Rigutto
Gemma L
GL
Thursfield
Vicky J
VJ
Giles
Graham G
GG
Sexton
Maree
M
Ashley
David M
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology