• Anne E Mitchell, Deborah L Scarcella, Gemma L Rigutto, Vicky J Thursfield, Graham G Giles, Maree Sexton, and David M Ashley.
• Department of Haematology and Oncology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
• Med. J. Aust. 2004 Jan 19; 180 (2): 59-62.

ObjectivesTo describe the location of treatment, recruitment to clinical trials and outcomes for adolescents and young adults treated for cancer in Victoria.Design And SettingRetrospective review of all adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years diagnosed with cancer between 1992 and 1996, identified from the Victorian Cancer Registry.Main Outcome MeasuresTreatment regimen (clinical trial, treatment protocol or neither), compliance with treatment and 5-year survival.ResultsQuestionnaires were completed for 576 of 665 eligible adolescents and young adults (87% response rate). Recruitment into clinical trials decreased with increasing age. Adolescents aged 10-19 years were more likely to be recruited to a clinical trial if treated at a paediatric hospital. For all cancers, 5-year survival was similar across the age groups and was not influenced by the place of treatment. Only 1% of adolescents and young adults failed to complete planned therapy due to non-compliance.ConclusionsDespite a similar incidence of cancer to that in younger children, adolescents and young adults with cancer are poorly recruited into clinical trials in Victoria. Establishment of a cancer resource network in Victoria may provide information to both paediatric and adult oncologists about currently available clinical trials.

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