Adolescents and young adults with a 'rare' cancer: Getting past semantics to optimal care for patientswith germ cell tumors

摘要

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are the third most common cancer diagnosis in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients aged 15-24 years [1]. Many cancers that arise in AYA patients, including GCTs, are defined as "rare" because they are relatively infrequent during early childhood and older adulthood [2]. Consequently, the clinical care, clinical trials, and biological study of these cancers have not progressed synchronously with common childhood or adult cancers, and gains in overall survival (OS) for this age group are only half those in either younger or older patients [3]. We reflect on how to address this lack of progress, using as our lens our own experience in creating an international, cross-disciplinary remodeling of the clinical trial development for GCTs to overcome the barriers created by the structure of conventional medical practice.