Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program

Adolescents and young adults experience cancer differently than children and older adults. You may have been busy with school, work or raising a family before you were diagnosed. Putting these efforts on hold for cancer treatment can feel isolating, but it doesn’t have to be.

Mays Cancer Center is the only program in South Texas that specializes in adolescent and young adult cancer. You’ll go to a modern hospital unit created for, and designed by, AYA patients. You will also receive personalized attention tailored to your unique situation as a teen with cancer.

At Mays Cancer Center, our team sees you as an individual with specific goals and needs. We combine leading therapies with services that ease the stress of cancer treatment and help you plan for your future. 

Why choose us for adolescent and young adult cancer care?

Our program is here to support you from the day you're diagnosed through survivorship. We offer:

• Academic advantage: Academic health centers are typically among the first to offer new therapies. If you qualify, you may have early access to innovative treatments through clinical trials. Many of the doctors here are actively involved in research and are knowledgeable about the latest medical advancements.
• Age-appropriate support: Our support services go beyond the ordinary to address the specific challenges and concerns of AYA patients. That includes help managing school and work obligations, navigating social and emotional concerns, and discussing fertility planning.
• Individualized care: Our fellowship-trained adult and pediatric cancer doctors (oncologists) understand the needs of young adult patients. We work together to quickly determine which specialist is best for your situation. Your specialist then creates a care plan tailored to you.
• Team-based approach: Depending on the situation, adolescents and young adults may need pediatric or adult cancer treatments regardless of their age. Our pediatric and adult oncologists collaborate to ensure that you get the care that’s right for your individual needs.

AYA hospital unit and lounge

Cancer care for adolescents and young adults often requires frequent monitoring that’s only available in the hospital. For inpatient care, you’ll go to the AYA Cancer Program location at University Health, which is among the few inpatient centers in Texas dedicated to adolescents and young adults with cancer. There, you will receive care from nurses who specialize in treating AYA patients.

The AYA patient lounge  at University Health offers a relaxing environment where you can pass the time during your stay. Amenities include:

• Art projects to do independently
• Full-body massage chairs
• Gaming equipment, such as Xbox and PlayStation
• Lending library
• Self-serve coffee and snacks

Additional services for adolescents and young adults with cancer

We offer a broad range of services that help AYA patients cope with the many ways that cancer affects their lives. These services include:

AYA Cope

AYA COPE (cancer-related outcomes, patient education) is a program for adolescent and young adult cancer patients in South Texas. It focuses on improving cancer care, quality of life and outcomes. You meet with a dedicated nurse navigator and social worker, who help you navigate the challenges of life with cancer. AYA COPE also sponsors the Teen Cancer AYA Lounge, available when you visit for treatment. 

Adolescents and young adults undergoing treatment in the hospital are matched with an AYA-dedicated social worker and nurse navigator. The nurse navigator and social worker help you with questions and life concerns beyond your medical care. Support for the program comes from a grant from Teen Cancer America, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping hospitals provide care tailored to teen and young adult cancer patients.

Financial navigation and other support

Social workers provide financial navigation services to help you manage the costs of your care or your child’s.

• If you have insurance, we can connect you with helpful resources, which may include drug discount programs, to lower your out-of-pocket costs.
• If you don’t have insurance, we help you learn about and apply for coverage options for which you may be eligible.

Our nurse navigators and social workers specialize in helping AYAs push past other challenges with helpful services that include:

• Assistance with work or school arrangements, which may include strategies for keeping your job or staying in school
• Care coordination, including assistance making appointments for tests and treatments
• Emotional support to address problems with anxiety, body image and depression, and referral to counseling services
• Medication assistance, which includes financial assistance to help you pay for necessary medications

Fertility counseling and preservation

Cancer treatments may affect your ability to have children naturally. Our team will talk with you about steps you can take before starting treatment to keep your options open.

We discuss whether you are at risk and, if so, options for fertility preservation. We can also refer you to fertility specialists (reproductive endocrinologists) to learn more. These specialists often meet with AYA patients within a few business days to offer timely information and peace of mind.

Genetic testing and counseling

Genetic testing and counseling through the Cancer Genetics Program inform you about whether you are at risk for additional types of cancer. The results may also guide your care decision-making, so you receive effective treatment for your situation.

The choice to pursue genetic testing is yours. After our genetic counselors explain the risks and benefits, you can decide what’s right for you. If you decide to have testing, these specialists explain what the results mean for your health. 

Survivorship care and support

After you complete treatment, we offer coordinated services to support your ongoing health. We follow research-based practices for survivorship care and develop a personalized plan that includes:

• Communication with your primary health care providers
• Information about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and ways you can reduce your future cancer risk
• Physical exams to check for complications, which may include memory problems or heart issues
• Referrals to specialists, including fertility specialists, pulmonologists for breathing problems or other specialists for delayed treatment complications
• Screening tests to catch early signs of any new or recurring cancer

We offer survivorship programs for every age group, including:

• Adult Cancer Survivorship Program
• Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program

Education Resources for survivorship

As you transition from treatment to next steps, our survivorship program offers several resources to support you. Organizations such as the American Cancer Society and the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) offer informational resources for AYA survivors. They include:

• Cancer Survival Toolbox in English and Spanish (NCCS)
• Cancer Survivorship Checklist (NCCS)
• What Is Cancer Recurrence? (American Cancer Society)
• Don’t Go It Alone: Find Support as an AYA With Cancer (Cancer Support Community)
• Helping Your Child Transition from Treatment to Survivorship (American Cancer Society)
• Life After Cancer (American Cancer Society)
• Living Beyond Cancer — Cancer Survival Toolbox (NCCS)
• Long-Term Health Concerns for Cancer Survivors (American Cancer Society)
• Raising Awareness of the Financial Impact of Cancer on Young Adult Survivors (The ASCO Post, in partnership with the American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• Self-Advocacy: A Cancer Survivor's Handbook (NCCS)
• Survivorship Blog (Elephants and Tea)

Get Involved

There are nonprofit organizations that provide a sense of community for AYA cancer survivors. They include:

• Cancer Care – Young Adults With Cancer Support Group
• Stupid Cancer
• Teen Cancer America

Informational and survivor videos

Meet Mays Cancer Center’s Gregory Aune, MD, PhD, a pediatric oncologist and director of survivorship research for the Childhood Cancer Survivorship program. In these videos, he shares:

• His personal survivorship story as a pediatric cancer patient.

• And a presentation on Eliminating Long-Term Health Effects in Cancer Survivors

You can find more inspiring survivorship videos from the American Cancer Society.

Access to clinical trials

UT Health San Antonio experts take an active role in research. As a result, many adolescents and young adults who qualify may access new therapies only available in select programs nationwide. 

These therapies may include innovative methods for reducing side effects and improving your quality of life during treatment. We consider and discuss clinical trials in all phases of your care as soon as you are diagnosed. 

Learn more about:

• Cancer clinical trials and research for adults
• Pediatric clinical trials and research

Care location

University Hospital

• Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology | Horizon Tower 10th Floor