Young People with Cancer: A Growing Population in Need of United Attention.

Abstract

Each year, over 84,000 young people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer. These patients face unique burdens that defy historical "adolescent and young adult" and "early-onset cancer" silos. These groups share common vulnerabilities, including financial toxicity, disruptions to education and career development, and inadequate survivorship care. Research efforts to address these shared challenges remain inefficient due to parallel and uncoordinated investigations. Health policy decisions are similarly impacted, with the lack of a unified framework potentially leading to gaps in insurance coverage, disparities in resource allocation, and incomplete data collection on young people diagnosed with cancer. To address these challenges, a collaborative and integrated strategy across clinical care, research, and health policy is urgently needed. By unifying efforts and recognizing the shared experiences of young people with cancer, we can develop more effective support systems, optimize outcomes, and reduce the long-term burden of cancer for this fast-growing and vulnerable population.