Cancer care organizations often struggle to adequately address the unique needs of AYA cancer patients, resulting in poorer outcomes compared to other age groups. Creation of AYA cancer programs serves to bridge this gap and improve quality of care for this population. We aimed to describe the evolution and impact of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill's AYA Cancer Program. To do so, we conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing electronic health record (EHR) data matched with NC Cancer Registry data from 2014-2022. Between 2014 to 2022, 4,016 AYAs (aged 13-39) received cancer care at UNC Medical Center, with 670 having contact with the AYA Cancer Program. Program-contacted patients were younger, more likely to be non-Hispanic Black, and more likely to have metastatic disease or hematologic malignancies. We saw a steady increase in patient volume over the study period, corresponding with program growth.
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.