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Journal of Public Health Advance Access originally published online on February 27, 2007
Journal of Public Health 2007 29(2):178-182; doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdm006
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© The Author 2007, Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved

Where do teenagers and young adults receive treatment for cancer?



Jeremy Whelan, Consultant Oncologist1

Catherine Dolbear, Information Analyst2

Vivian Mak, Information Analyst2

Henrik Møller, Director and Professor of Cancer Epidemiology2

Elizabeth Davies, Senior Lecturer in Cancer Registration2,
1 Department of Oncology, University College Hospital, 250 Euston Road, London NW1 2PG, UK
2 King's College School of Medicine, Thames Cancer Registry, Capital House, 42 Weston Street, London SE1 3QD, UK

Address correspondence to Elizabeth Davies, E-mail: Elizabeth.Davies{at}kcl.ac.uk


  Abstract

Background Little is known about where teenagers and young adults receive their first cancer treatment.

Method We extracted data on 2260 residents of southeast England diagnosed with a malignant neoplasm aged 10–24 between 1998 and 2002 from the Thames Cancer Registry database. We identified 11 cancer network areas of residence, and the hospital and network where each patient received their first chemotherapy treatment. We classified hospitals as those including paediatric oncology centres, cancer centres with a teenage cancer unit or adult cancer centres or units. We examined how many patients in each of the age groups 10–14, 15–19 and 20–24 travelled outside their network of residence for chemotherapy.

Results Overall 45% (1018) received chemotherapy. Three networks had paediatric oncology centres, and one also had a teenage cancer unit. Most 10–14-year-olds were referred from their network of residence to networks with these services. However, there was an increasing tendency for patients aged 15–19 and 20–24 to be treated within their network of residence and to be referred less commonly.

Conclusions Many young people with cancer are not referred to services providing care tailored to the needs of their age group. The absence of any pattern to referral, despite the presence of a teenage cancer unit in the area, suggests a lack of coordinated referral practice within and between cancer networks.

Keywords: cancer, hospital care, health services


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