title: Positive and negative psychosocial impact of being diagnosed with cancer as an adolescent or young adult.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to explore the psychosocial impact of cancer on newly diagnosed adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a population-based, multicenter study of 523 newly diagnosed AYA survivors (ages 15-39 years) of germ cell cancer (n = 204), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 131), Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 142), acute lymphocytic leukemia (n = 21), or sarcoma (n = 25) from 7 National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries. Age at diagnosis was categorized into 3 groups (ages 15-20 years, 21-29 years, and 30-39 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents (43% response rate), on average (±standard deviation), were aged 29 = 6.7 years, and most patients (80.1%) were not receiving treatment at the time the completed the survey. With modest differences between the age groups, the most prevalent areas of life impacted in a negative way were financial, body image, control over life, work plans, relationship with spouse/significant other, and plans for having children. Endorsement of positive life impact items also was evident across the 3 age groups, particularly with regard to relationships, future plans/goals, and health competence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current results indicated that there will be future need for interventions targeting financial assistance, body image issues, relationships, and helping AYAs to attain their education objectives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. keith.m.bellizzi@uconn.edu
authors.forename: Keith M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bellizzi
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Theresa H M
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Keegan
authors.forename: Brad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zebrack
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deapen
authors.forename: Margarett
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shnorhavorian
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tompkins
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult