Teenagers and young adults (age 15-29) are increasingly the focus of cancer care in India. Young persons from rural western Madhya Pradesh, a resource crunch area, need provided support, and a care pathway to ensure optimal results in the treatment of cancer.
Disease characteristics of TYA patients over (30 months) from 2018-thru 2020 were analyzed. Abandonment defined as. Failure to start / complete treatment was quantified, and the cancers were documented by the Birch classification. Early deaths (within 30 days) and trends to completion of therapy were documented. Telephonic tracing of patients, escorting them to hospital, providing accommodation, food caregiver support. Since Feb 2019, the state sponsored Insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat provided TYAs access to cancer care.
Two hundred and forty six cancer patients’ records in the age group 15-29 years were. analysed in a retrospective study. Median age 23 years; M: F 166: 80. Diseases were classified by the Birch Classification: Leukemias 84; Lymphomas. 45; Brain 6; Bone tumors 55; Soft tissue tumors 6; Germ Cell tumors 19; Carcinoma 30; Miscellaneous 1; Twenty two (9%) abandoned treatment. 65 (26%) alive after completed therapy; Early deaths occurred in 56 (23%); as of 30 June 2020, 103 (41%) are alive on treatment.
Early deaths occurred on account of poor nutrition; delayed diagnosis; toxicity of therapy.TYAcan Foundation provided diagnostic, treatment and accommodation support; mitigating early morbidity and mortality; tracking young persons to reduce abandonment. Early trends indicate that the government Ayushman Scheme and the social entrepreneurship of TYAcan together helped establish a viable care pathway for young cancer patients to achieve to survival rates.
Department of Medical Oncology, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical sciences.
Has not received any funding.
The author has declared no conflicts of interest.