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Review
. 2022 Jan;27(1):7-15.
doi: 10.1007/s10147-021-02064-x. Epub 2021 Nov 15.

Cancer in adolescents and young adults in Japan: epidemiology and cancer strategy

Kayo Nakata  1 , Eiso Hiyama  2 , Kota Katanoda  3 , Tomohiro Matsuda  4 , Yuma Tada  5 , Masami Inoue  6 , Keisei Kawa  6 , Mitsue Maru  7 , Chikako Shimizu  8 , Keizo Horibe  9 , Isao Miyashiro  10
Affiliations
Review

Cancer in adolescents and young adults in Japan: epidemiology and cancer strategy

Kayo Nakata et al. Int J Clin Oncol. 2022 Jan.

Abstract

According to national cancer registry data in Japan, approximately 20,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs, age 15-39 years) are newly diagnosed with cancer each year. Improvements in treatment and care for AYAs with cancer are included in the Phase Three Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control Programs in Japan. This article reviews current cancer incidence and survival for AYAs with cancer in Japan using population-based cancer registry data. Mortality data through 2019 from the Vital Statistics of Japan are also described. Encouragingly, the 5-year survival probability for AYA cancers has continued to improve, in parallel with childhood cancers, and the mortality rate has decreased. There has been increasing attention to these vulnerable patients and improved partnerships and collaboration between adult and pediatric oncology; however, obstacles to the care of this population still exist at multiple levels. These obstacles relate to specific areas: research efforts and enrollment in clinical trials on AYA malignancies, AYA-specific psychosocial support such as education, financial support, and oncofertility care, and cancer care systems. It is important for Japanese oncologists, health care providers, and health policy makers to recognize that the AYA population remains vulnerable and still have unmet needs.

Keywords: Adolescent and young adult (AYA); Cancer; Cancer care system; Cancer strategy; Epidemiology.

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Conflict of interest statement

All the authors except the following two declare no conflict of interest. MM reports being in a leadership position/advisory role for Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, outside this work. KK received the JMWH Bayer grant, outside this work.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Average annual number of cases of selected adolescent and young adult cancer types by age group, 2016–2018. Excludes benign and borderline brain tumors. Coding for these cancers is based on the SEER AYA Site Recode 2020 Revision. CNS indicates central nervous system. N represents the average number of cases per year (2016–2018) of all cancer types in each age group. *Indicates carcinomas. Source: National Cancer Registry in Japan
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trends in 5-year overall survival from cancer among children, adolescents, and young adults, 1975–2011. Adapted from: Cancer Control Center, Osaka International Cancer Institute. “Incidence and survival of cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults in Osaka.” https://osaka-gan-joho.net/link/childhood-cancer/pdf/2020_pdf_cc3.pdf#page=2. Source: Osaka Cancer Registry
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Trends in cancer mortality among adolescents and young adults (age 15–39 years), 1975–2019. World standard population was used for age standardization. Source: Vital Statistics of Japan
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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