Teen Cancer Cure Rates Not as High as in Younger Children

The outlook for childhood cancer patients is much more positive than it was 30 years ago. Today, cure rates for leukemia, the most common childhood cancer, are 65 percent for children up to 14 years. But for teens diagnosed with cancer, specifically those ages 15 to 19, cure rates are not as high as in younger children.

“The challenge is getting teens into pediatric cancer centers so they can benefit from the latest treatments, as well as the much-needed psychosocial support that is not as readily available in adult treatment facilities,” said ZoAnn Dreyer, M.D., director of the Long-Term Survivor Program at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine.

Pediatric cancer centers offer teens a greater chance of enrollment in national clinical trials often not available in most adult centers. Those trials typically result in better disease outcomes for adolescents than treatment on adult protocols.

A clinical trial is a research study designed to answer specific questions about new treatments or modalities. National Cancer Institute member institutions, such as Texas Children’s, have access to these trials. Patients of NCI-member pediatric institutions have better survival rates compared to those who don’t, national studies show.

“Another reason why teens may have lower cure rates than younger children is that some teens may be too embarrassed to draw attention to worrisome symptoms they develop resulting in a delay in diagnosis. In some cases, the disease may have progressed to an advanced state,” said Dreyer.

Teens diagnosed with cancer also may experience a different set of psychosocial challenges compared to younger children. Teens are at a higher risk of becoming depressed, anxious and developing a negative self-image. While younger children see cancer as something that causes short-term pain, teens understand that cancer can cause death.

“Cancer is a threat to the existence of anyone at any age, but teenagers are hit particularly hard,” said Ernest Fruge, Ph.D., director of psychosocial programs at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor. “This is a critical time for young people; teens are launching into the beginning stages of independence and struggling with difficult issues,” Fruge said. “The teen is not in control of all aspects of his or her life; to some extent, the cancer is. It’s important for teens with cancer to maintain some control where it’s possible, such as school and friendships.”

The cancer center participates in several programs designed to ease teens’ lives, including “Camp You Only Live Once.” Sponsored by the Periwinkle Foundation, in cooperation with the cancer center, the camp allows teenagers to be with others in the same circumstances and share experiences.

“The staff at the cancer center is attuned to the developmental differences among our patients and we try to treat them accordingly, as individuals,” said Christopher Baldez, licensed medical social worker in the cancer center. “One example is our designated infusion area for teen-agers, separate from the infusion areas of younger children.”

For more information on treatment of teens with cancer, visit www.texaschildrenshospital.org/cancer.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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