Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in Adolescents and Young Adults
Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are defined as those individuals between the ages of 15 and 39 years. Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) is the most common cancer observed in AYAs. Over the last two decades, significant improvements in both survival from HL and the reduction of therapy-related late effects have resulted from the work of collaborative study groups in pediatric and adult domains. The adolescent and young adult (AYA) population falls between these domains. AYA patients are in a critical developmental transition, with significant psychosocial challenges that may impact on the outcome of the primary treatment as well as on the medical care and surveillance of long-term sequelae in survivors. This article will examine available literature regarding outcomes for HL in the AYA population, identifying issues unique to this group, therapeutic options, and specific concerns in follow-up.