Adolescent-young adults (AYA) with cancer seeking integrative oncology consultations: demographics, characteristics, and self-reported outcomes

Abstract

Purpose

Integrative Oncology (IO) consultations offer cancer patients counseling regarding complementary integrative medicine (CIM). We explored the CIM interests and symptom burden of AYA cancer patients presenting for an IO consultation.

Methods

Patients referred for an IO physician consultation at an academic medical center from September 1, 2009 to December 31, 2013 completed an assessment on presentation: MYCaW, ESAS (10 symptoms, 0–10, 10 worst possible), CIM use survey, and SF-12 QOL survey. We compared findings of AYA patients (ages 15–39) with a control sample of adult patients (age ≥ 40).

Results

Of the total 2474 consecutive patients, 286 (12%) were AYA, 73.1% female, with the most common diagnosis of breast cancer (30%). Areas of greatest interest for both AYA and adult patients included developing a holistic approach, herbals, and diet, with no significant difference between groups. Comparing groups, AYA patients had significantly higher anxiety (3.4 vs 3.1, p = 0.042). AYA physical health was significantly higher (37.5 vs 35, p = 0.001), with no significant between group differences in mental health. AYA patients were more likely to have participated in yoga (22 vs 11%, p = 0.001) and pilates (9.2 vs 4.5%, p = 0.04), with no significant difference regarding overall CIM use. Differences persisted after correcting for stage.

Conclusion

AYA patients make up a small number of overall referrals to an IO consultation, presenting with a low to moderate symptom burden. Physical CIM interventions such as yoga and pilates are of greater interest to the AYA population, suggesting the importance of making such interventions available in cancer programs serving this population.

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