Cancer is the leading disease-related cause of death for individuals ages 15 – 39, a population defined as ‘adolescents and young adults’ (AYA). While great advances have been achieved with cancer survival rates in other age groups, including both pediatric and older adult populations, progress with AYA oncology patients had not improved in nearly 30 years due to the lack of focus on AYA-specific clinical and supportive care models as well as biological and clinical research. The reasons for this care gap are many, including the lack of focus on AYA clinical and supportive care models, differences in tumor biology, limited health insurance coverage, feelings of isolation, low participation in clinical trials and poor adherence to treatment.

In 2006, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) assembled a working group and tasked them with addressing the research and cancer care needs of AYAs. The recommendations were coalesced into a strategy plan outlining the major areas of need and development. The major areas included recommendations concerning awareness, education, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, biology research, quality of life, and psychological concerns. One of the key recommendations was to “ensure excellence in service delivery across the cancer control continuum” through the establishment of standards of care and collaboration of stakeholders; including a set of guidelines on the components of an AYA center of care in the United States. The endeavors of the national work group have progressed in brining attention to the special needs of AYAs with cancer. Yet much work remains to be done in order to provide optimal care along the cancer continuum for this population.

The Adolescent and Young Adult Program at the University of Southern California (AYA@USC), initiated in 2013 by Dr. Stuart Siegel,  represents a collaboration between the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Norris Cancer Hospital (USC Norris), Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), and Los Angeles County Medical Center (LAC+USC) designed to address this “AYA Gap.”