Mary Ann Liebert publishes new journal on cancer care for adolescent and young adult patients

May 9 2011

The field of adolescent and young adult oncology (AYAO) reflects the growing recognition that this group of patients and survivors are not just "old" pediatric patients or "young" adult patients. AYAs have treatment and survivorship-related issues and concerns unique to their age range, which the National Cancer Institute defines as 15-39 years old. Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology (JAYAO), a groundbreaking new peer-reviewed Journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, has been launched as part of a movement to transform cancer care and survivorship for AYA patients. The inaugural issue is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/JAYAO.

The Journal has a broad mandate and will be an essential resource for a multidisciplinary audience, including pediatric, adult, and surgical oncologists of all types and specialties; oncology nurses and advanced practice staff; psychosocial and supportive care providers including psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers; translational cancer researchers; and academic and community-based pediatric and adult cancer institutions.

Newly diagnosed young adult cancer patients are often dealing with ongoing developmental and psychosocial issues in addition to their medical treatment. Further, pediatric cancer survivors who have 'aged in' to AYAO are a growing part of the AYA community, and survivorship is often fraught with the unintended consequences of cancer treatment, including infertility, heart and lung damage, and metabolic problems.

The Journal is under the expert editorial leadership of Editor-in-Chief Leonard S. Sender, MD, of the University of California, Irvine and CHOC Children's Hospital, and an outstanding multidisciplinary international Editorial Board including prominent associate editors and section editors representing the AYAO-relevant subspecialties of breast cancer, gastrointestinal oncology, gynecologic oncology, head and neck cancer, leukemia and lymphoma, melanoma, neuro-oncology, oncofertility, radiation oncology, testicular cancer, sarcoma, and psychosocial and survivorship issues.

"To truly advance care for this population, AYA oncology must be recognized as a distinct subspecialty, with a professional organization and publication to support it," says Editor-in-Chief Leonard S. Sender, MD. "JAYAO is the culmination of this impetus, and is the Official Journal of the newly formed Society for Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology."

The inaugural issue provides a wide range of provocative articles and perspectives including review articles on acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment and fertility preservation for patients with testicular cancer; original articles about the reproductive concerns of children and adolescents with cancer and survival rates in the most common AYA cancers; a Roundtable discussion with Archie Bleyer, MD and other trailblazers in the field; a Controversies feature about the definition of the AYA age range; articles from leading Advocacy groups about their organizations and programs; a Clinical Trial Spotlight highlighting a trial with AYA-specific impacts; and a Point of View on palliative care for AYAs from pediatric practitioners. Voices of AYAO, stories from survivors, provide insight into these patients' experiences and challenges.

Source: http://www.liebertpub.com