Objectives: To discuss recent and current initiatives to increase enrollment of adolescents and young adult (AYA) cancer patients onto National Cancer Institute-funded clinical trials to improve outcomes.
Data sources: Peer-reviewed publications, websites of professional organizations.
Conclusion: Despite many challenges facing AYAs, recent studies illustrate that AYA-focused cancer clinical trials can be successfully developed and conducted. Development of the National Cancer Institute National Clinical Trials Network and related AYA-focused initiatives create new opportunities to expand clinical trials that serve AYAs.
Implications for nursing practice: Nurses can influence AYA outcomes by leveraging their roles as educators and collaborators to increase participation in cancer clinical trials.
Keywords: AYA; Adolescent and young adult; cancer; clinical trials.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.