Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1173162
Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program at University Hospital Brings Care and Support to a Population in Need O N A S E V E N T H - F L O O R U N I T a t Un iversit y Hospit a l i n Sa n A nton io, a u n iq ue t e a m of do c t or s a n d s p e - ci a l i s t s c at er s t o a g roup of c a nc er pat ient s of t en lef t out of l i fe sav i n g clinica l tria ls, needed counseling a nd f ina ncia l prog ra ms t hat m ig ht a ssist w it h t heir ca re. The patients, ages 15 to 39, a re identi- f ied by the Nationa l Ca ncer Institute as adolescents a nd young adu lts, or AYA ca ncer patients. Because of their a ges, t hey don't ea si ly f it i nt o t ra d it iona l pediatr ic or adu lt ca ncer prog ra ms. The AYAs are fighting serious illness wh i le s t r u g g l i n g w it h generat iona l challenges like finishing their education, beginning a family or starting a career. In 2014, Allison Grimes, MD, MSCI, who specia lizes in treating children with ca ncer, a nd Elizabeth Bowhay- Carnes, MD, who specializes in treating adults, put their heads together to brain- storm ways their teams could provide more individualized care for AYAs. B o t h ph y s i c i a n s k n e w Na t ion a l Institutes of Health (NIH) data show that during the past few decades, the five-year survival rate of children and older adults with cancer had improved. The survival rate for adolescent a nd young adu lt patients with certain types of cancer, however, has actually lagged far behind. NIH describes this phenomenon as the AYA gap. Dr. Grimes and Dr. Bowhay- Carnes wanted to eliminate it. "This was a population of patients that was most difficult to treat, and they are known to have the poorest outcomes. It's the war we weren't winning," says Dr. Grimes, co-director of the hospital's growing AYA Cancer Program, a partnership between University Health System and UT Health San Antonio. She is also Assistant Professor in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at UT Health San Antonio. "A s a ca ncer ca re prov ider, this is absolutely hea r tbrea king to me. It is BY JOSH GARCIA UNDERSERVED CANCER PATIENTS GE T THEIR OWN SPACE AND MEDICAL TE AM AT SAN ANTONIO'S UNIVERSIT Y HOSPITAL. AYA Social Worker Diana Campa Del Rosario, hired with a grant from Teen Cancer America, visits with patient Ramona Powe in University Hospital's AYA inpatient unit. 0 6❱❱❱❱❱ C O V E R S T O R Y