Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) patients are defined as those between the ages of 15 and 39 years. In the United States, AYA cancer patients have low participation rates in clinical trials¹ which prevents the best health outcomes and survival rates. Furthermore, among college age students, who represent a large proportion of the AYA population, cancer is the leading cause of death from disease.

While much of the focus of cancer research is directed toward pediatric patients or older adults, the unique needs of AYA cancer patients – from the physical to the psychological, social, and emotional – are often poorly understood or overlooked.

The Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium is committed to addressing these unmet needs. Through the AYA Clinical Trial Working Group, members of the consortium work collaboratively to address AYA-specific concerns at the protocol development level for clinical trials and advise members of the consortium at all levels on best practices in AYA research and care.

Our goal is to ensure that AYA patients are represented as equitably as possible in the progress we make in the treatment and care of all patients with cancer.

¹https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6077840/

Website Feature: Big Ten researchers aim to close gaps, break barriers in AYA research and care

Next Meeting: See Big Ten CRC Calendar for schedule.

Members:

• David Dickens, MD, FAAP (co-chair) — University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Sandeep Batra, MD (co-chair) — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Sean Quigley, MD — University of Illinois Cancer Center
• Amanda Saraf, MD — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Jenny Belsky, DO, MS — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Jodi Skiles, MD, MS — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Lawrence D. Wurtz, MD — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Michael Ferguson, MD — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Samantha Armstrong, MD — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Scott Coven, DO — Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Justin Chau, MD— University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Maggie Seblani, DO, MPH— University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Varun Monga, MD — University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Anao Zhang, PhD — University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
• Andrea Franson, MD, MS — University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
• Emily Walling, MD, MPHS — University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center
• Laura Agresta, MD — Michigan State University Breslin Cancer Center
• Deanna Teoh, MD, MS, FACOG, FACS — Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
• Robin Williams, MD, MS — Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota
• Alexandra Psihogios, PhD — Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
• Jennifer Reichek, MD, MSW — Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
• Alexandra Diaz, MD, MS — The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Sagar Sardesai, MD, MPH — The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Chandrika Behura, MD — Penn State Cancer Institute
• Natthapol Songdej, MD, MPH — Penn State Cancer Institute
• Pooja Rao, MD, MSCE — Penn State Cancer Institute
• Smita Dandekar, MD — Penn State Cancer Institute
• Valerie Brown, MD, PhD — Penn State Cancer Institute
• Katie Devine, PhD, MPH — Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
• Margaret Masterson, MD — Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
• Peter Cole, MD — Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
• Cathy Lee-Miller, MD — University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center
• Malinda West, MD — University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center

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