Participation of teenagers and young adults (TYA) in cancer clinical trials (CCT): What can we learn from six years of accrual data in England?

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 6115-6115
Author(s):  
Lorna Anne Fern ◽  
Jennifer Ann Lewandowski ◽  
Katy Marie Coxon ◽  
Elliann Fairbairn ◽  
Eileen Loucaides ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Cancer Research Network ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults ◽  
Research Initiatives ◽  
Further Development

6115 Background: We reported underrepresentation of TYA in CTT in England, 2005-06. Since 2005 national healthcare policies and research initiatives aimed at increasing participation of TYA in CCT have been implemented. We aimed to determine if this has improved accrual rates (AR). Methods: We analyzed accrual by age during 2005-2010 to UK Cancer Research Network interventional trials recruiting newly diagnosed patients (pts) with leukaemia, lymphoma, bone/soft tissue sarcoma, central nervous system and germ cell tumours. AR were expressed as the ratio of pts entered onto trial compared to population incidence cases for 2005-08; for 2009-10, mean incidence of 2005-08 was used. Results: 2005-10 showed an AR increase of 10.3% for pts 10-14 yrs, 17.9% for pts 15-19 yrs but only 4.6% for pts 20-24 yrs (Table). In 2010 AR was 54.4% for pts 10-14 yrs, 43.3% for 15-19 yr olds and 20.6% for pts 20-24. Annual increases of AR were observed for pts 15-19 yrs, but in no other age groups, 0-59 yrs. We looked at AR for children and younger teenagers , 5-14 yrs, vs older TYA, 15-24 yrs. Overall, AR for 5-14 yr olds was greater, 53.7% vs 23.0% for pts 15-24 yrs; however, during 2005-10 AR increased by 9.7% for pts aged 15-24 compared to 7.8% for pts aged 5-14. Conclusions: AR for TYA has improved in between 2005-10. Most benefit is evident for older teenagers; AR for young adults remain disappointing. Changes relate to increased trial availability and access, centralisation of care for TYA, amendments to age eligibility criteria to reflect tumour biology and increased collaboration between adult and paediatric clinical research groups. Strategies to improve AR for young adults require further development. [Table: see text]

scholarly journals Germ Cell Tumors in Adolescents and Young Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 433-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Fonseca ◽  
A. Lindsay Frazier ◽  
Furqan Shaikh
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Germ Cell ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Germ Cell Tumors ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Childhood Cancers ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Cancer Specialists ◽  
Research Initiatives ◽  
Common Malignancy

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are rare in childhood, representing only 3.5% of childhood cancers, but a common malignancy in adolescents and young adults (AYAs), accounting for 13.9% of neoplasms in adolescents between age 15 and 19 years. The overall outcomes of patients treated for GCTs are excellent. However, as seen in other cancers, outcomes for AYA patients are significantly worse. Understanding the reasons for this observation has led to different approaches to diagnosis, staging, and treatment. The Malignant Germ Cell International Consortium was created to bring together pediatric, gynecologic, and testicular cancer specialists to promote research initiatives and provide evidence-based approaches in the management of GCTs across different age groups. Collaboration between multiple subspecialties is essential to further understand the disease continuum, the underlying biologic characteristics, and the development of appropriate therapeutic approaches. This review focuses on the unique characteristics of patients with extracranial GCTs in the AYA group.

scholarly journals Survival patterns in teenagers and young adults with cancer in the United Kingdom: Comparisons with younger and older age groups

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (17) ◽  
pp. 2643-2654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Stark ◽  
David Bowen ◽  
Elaine Dunwoodie ◽  
Richard Feltbower ◽  
Rod Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Older Age ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults ◽  
Survival Patterns

scholarly journals Psychobiological determinants of ‘Blue Whale Suicide Challenge’ victimization: A proposition for the agency mediated mental health risk in new media age

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network Kumar A.
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
New Media ◽  
News Media ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Blue Whale ◽  
Modus Operandi ◽  
Social Media Networks ◽  
The World ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults

Background: An internet game called Blue Whale Suicide Challenge (BWSC) has driven scores of teenagers and young adults to commit suicide globally. The challenge preferably runs through closed social media networks and has gained notoriety for its mysterious modus operandi. Methods: Descriptions of these cases, published online by credible news media around the world, were collected using combinations of keywords, viz., ‘blue whale suicide challenge’, ‘self-infliction’, ‘rescue’ etc. A comprehensive review of both, the reported descriptions and the scientific literature, was undertaken to evaluate the mental status of the victims and curators of the game, and to construct a psychobiological perspective of the victimization.Results and discussion: BWSC victimization cases were reported from different parts of the world, particularly from Russia, Europe and India. The victims of the challenge were largely teenagers and young adults with infrequent cases in other age groups. Teenagers with complicated upbringing and negative life experiences have a higher propensity to be easier targets. Analysis of instructions used in the game reveal a motivational program that exploits fear psychology and contains elements of induction, habituation and self-infliction. All in order to mentally groom the victim for eventual suicide. Conclusions: BWSC victimization seems to imply predatory and self-inflictive psychobiological mechanisms on the part of its curators and participants, respectively. This online agency mediated modus operandi uniquely exploits principles of psychology and could mischievously be applied to target individuals or masses in different settings.

Barriers To Clinical Trial Enrolment For Teenagers and Young Adults With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia: The Impact of Age Eligibility Criteria

Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 1401-1401
Author(s):  
Lorna Anne Fern ◽  
Clare Rowntree ◽  
Rachael E Hough ◽  
Ajay J Vora ◽  
Adele Fielding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukaemia ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Incidence Data ◽  
Paediatric Trial ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Overall survival (OS) for teenagers and young adults (TYA) aged 15-24 years (yrs) with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is inferior to OS for children. In the UK, five-year OS for children up to 14 years with ALL is 89%, falling to 69% for 15-19 yr olds and 52% for 20-24 yr olds (O'Hara et al, National Cancer Intelligence Network, 2013). Both disease biology and choice of protocol are likely to be important in explaining these differences. However, lower rates of inclusion into clinical trials with increasing age may also be a significant factor. In the UK 3 national paediatric and adult ALL trials were open to recruitment between 1997-2006 (table 1). In 2006 the upper age eligibility criteria for UKALL2003 was increased from 18 to 24 yrs and the lower age limit of UKALL XII was correspondingly increased to reflect emerging evidence that TYA have improved outcomes when treated on paediatric protocols. Aims 1. To examine trial accrual rates (AR) by age over a ten year period (1997-2006) to three UK national ALL trials. 2. To determine the influence of amending the age eligibility criteria for UKALL2003 on TYA accrual Methods ALL incidence figures for patients aged 1-39 yrs during the study period of 1997-2006 were obtained from a national cancer registry. Incidence data was classified according to the morphology-based coding specifically for TYA (Birch et al, BJC, 2002). Accrual rates (AR) were expressed as the ratio of patients entered onto trials during the same time period compared to incidence cases. Descriptive statistics were applied for an observational dataset where sample size or incidence cases cannot be controlled (Fern et al. BJC, 2008). We obtained a further incidence data set for cases diagnosed in 2007 and 2008 to examine the impact of age eligibility amendments in 2006 and 2008 to UKALL2003. Results ALL was diagnosed in 4,579 patients aged 1-39 yrs between 1997-2006, 2,767 were under 10 yrs. The figure shows the proportion of newly diagnosed ALL patients entering trials 1997-2006. Red arrows show age eligibility criteria of the trials. 65% of all patients were enrolled onto one of the 3 trials. AR were highest for under 10's (71.5%), declining to 55.2% for 15-16 yr olds, 43.4% for 17-18 yr olds and 40% for those aged 21-24 yrs. The amendments to age inclusion criteria for UKALL2003 and UKALL XII improved AR for 17-18 yr olds to a level equivalent to AR for 15-16 yr olds. AR for 19-20 yr olds also improved to 62.5%. However, recruitment of 21-24 year olds did not change. During 1997-2006 three quarters of 17-18 yr olds recruited to trials were enrolled onto UKALLXII. After protocol amendments, three quarters of 17-18 yrs were recruited to the paediatric trial. Conclusions We have shown a decline in trial accrual with increasing age for teenagers and young adults with ALL despite the availability of national trials spanning the age range being available during the time period studied. Due to close cooperation between adult and paediatric trial management groups, major changes were made to age eligibility criteria for both paediatric and adult trials, following increasing evidence that TYA have better outcomes when treated on paediatric protocols. We have shown an increased accrual of older teenagers to ALL trials in the UK following these changes. No improvements were observed for 21-24 year olds. However, this age group were only eligible for UKALL 2003 during the last year of our analysis. This approach to trial eligibility design may serve as a model for future trials, both in ALL and other cancers. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Smartphones and their use by teenagers and young adults - differences and similarities: A case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Konstantina Papalexopoulou ◽  
Konstantina Psiachou
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Generation Gap ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) promoted social media and social networking sites as an integral part of the psychosocial reality of modern people, especially the younger ones. This is an unprecedented form of networked lived experience, where people are always connected and always available through various social media platforms. How do teenagers who grew up in a given technosocial context perceive modern reality as compared to the slightly older young adults who, nevertheless, experienced a slightly different technosocial environment as children? Is there a kind of “generation gap” even among people who differ marginally in their age? In this case study we attempt a preliminary investigation of the field by conducting four ethnographic interviews with two teenagers and two young adults. Preliminary qualitative analysis showed increased use of smartphones by the participants, mostly for communication reasons and mainly through online services and social media. Both teenagers and young adults emphasize the effects of technology on everyday life and point out the potential risks, even though they remain optimistic for the future impact on human life. Our findings indicate that there are differences between the two age groups as regards their preferences for specific social media platforms and social apps.

scholarly journals Seroprevalence of antibodies to poliovirus in individuals living in Portugal, 2002

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 7-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Pires de Miranda ◽  
M Carmo Gomes ◽  
H Rebelo de Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Antibody Concentration ◽  
Antibody Prevalence ◽  
Poliovirus Type ◽  
Wild Poliovirus ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults ◽  
Type 3

The last case of poliomyelitis in Portugal caused by indigenous wild poliovirus occurred in 1986 and the country was declared polio-free in 2002. High levels of immunity must be maintained to prevent the importation of wild poliovirus. In this study, we determined the immunity against poliomyelitis of the Portuguese population in order to identify possible immunity gaps. A representative sample of 1,133 individuals older than two years residing in mainland Portugal was studied. Logistical difficulties regarding quick sample transportation precluded the Portuguese islands (Madeira and the Azores) from this study. Sera were collected in 2002 from individuals attending health clinics throughout the 18 districts of Portugal. Levels of neutralizing antibodies against poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 were determined and a titre of >= 1:8 was defined as indicative of protected immunity. Results were expressed in international units. The antibody prevalence and the geometric mean antibody concentration (GMAC) was 91.6% (GMAC: 2.96 IU/ml), 94.2% (GMAC: 5.03 IU/ml) and 75% (GMAC: 0.53 IU/ml) for poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3, respectively. For poliovirus types 1 and 2, antibody prevalence was close to or above 90% in the majority of age groups. For poliovirus type 3, antibody prevalence was below 80% in teenagers and young adults. Our study shows that the Portuguese are well protected against poliovirus types 1 and 2. For poliovirus type 3, the suboptimal antibody levels observed in teenagers and young adults suggest the need for a booster dose to minimise the risk of wild poliovirus importation.

scholarly journals Enrollment of adolescents and young adults onto SWOG cancer research network clinical trials: A comparative analysis by treatment site and era

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2146-2152
Author(s):  
Michael E. Roth ◽  
Joseph M. Unger ◽  
Ann M. O'Mara ◽  
Mark A. Lewis ◽  
Troy Budd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Research ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Research Network ◽  
Cancer Research Network ◽  
Treatment Site

Violence Counseling

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 68-93
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Black Men ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Homicide Rate ◽  
Major Contributor ◽  
Teenagers And Young Adults ◽  
The Media

Violence and its consequences of injury and death pose major threats to the health of youth in America. The United States has the highest homicide rate in the industrialized world: 10 times higher than in England, 25 times higher than in Spain. Older teenagers and young adults are the only age groups in the United States with rising mortality rates, and violence is a major contributor to this trend. The highest rate of death from violence occurs among young black men. Most of these deaths are the result of intraracial attacks, countering the impression fostered by the media that most attacks are interracial.

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