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Purpose: The appreciation of peer support can vary from one country to another due to the cultural and relational differences. This study explores what perceptions French adolescents and young adults (AYAs) in post-treatment for cancer have of the place of sick peers during their treatment and what can make barriers to meet them. Methods: A semistructured interview has been proposed 6 months after the end of cancer treatments. A thematic analysis has been conducted to highlight the major themes and subthemes identified through the participants' discourses. Results: Twelve AYAs (mean age 23 y.o., standard deviation = 2.8; min = 19; max = 26) from two French cancer centers were interviewed. Five major themes were identified, but only two were presented in this article: the place of peers and the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic on AYA facilities. AYA peers with cancer major theme demonstrated that meeting sick peers has benefits (e.g., identification, understanding, support, feeling of normalcy) but also has disadvantages (e.g., negative emotional influence). The benefits of peer-to-peer meetings seem to outweigh the disadvantages. Nevertheless, AYAs can face social barriers to this kind of relationship (e.g., fatigue, need to focus on oneself, confrontation to cancer and negative events, feeling of unnatural meeting). Finally, patients' encounters and the normal functioning of AYA facilities have been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Even if AYA services systematically suggest a meeting with other sick peers, it is important to reiterate this proposal since the needs can evolve over time. It can also be interesting to propose places of life outside the hospital to make the encounters more comfortable and natural for AYAs. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT03964116. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The third Cancer Plan (2014–2019) has helped with the recognition of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer's medical and psychosocial specificities and has enabled the creation of dedicated structures in France. Methods: The study involved 43 AYA patients (Nmen = 21; Nwomen = 22) between 15 and 27 years old (Mage = 19.9), diagnosed with all types of cancer, and were recruited in two French cancer centers. Online questionnaires were filled in 2 months after the beginning of treatment. AYAs completed measures of depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived social support, and coping strategies. Results: Results demonstrated moderate depressive symptoms (M = 10.7, standard deviation [SD] = 7.0) and suggested a good satisfaction (M = 30, SD = 9.5) and a mild availability (M = 27, SD = 10.3) of the social support. Spearman's correlations demonstrated that coping strategies are related to depressive symptoms, for which acceptance (p < 0.01) of the disease played a key role in their psychological adjustment. Perceived social support subscales were positively correlated with the use of distraction as a coping strategy (p < 0.05). Kruskal–Wallis test demonstrated the preferential use of instrumental (p < 0.05) and emotional support (p < 0.01), denial (p < 0.01), and self-blame (p < 0.01) for women and the use of acceptance (p < 0.05) and humor (p < 0.05) for men; and there were no significant differences between patients hospitalized in the two cancer center facilities. Conclusion: Finally, a better understanding of the psychological adjustment and processes among French AYAs with cancer will help families and processionals to better adjust AYA-specific needs at the beginning of cancer treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov.: NCT03964116. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore and identify the factors associated with problematic substance use (alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis) and behavioral addictions (internet and eating disorders) over time in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) treated for cancer. Methods: AYAs newly diagnosed with cancer, 15–25 years of age, completed a questionnaire during their hospitalization (T1), assessing their consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis (The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; The Smoking Behavior Questionnaire; and The Cannabis Abuse Screening Test), their internet use (The Internet Addiction Test), their body preoccupations (The Eating Attitudes Test), as well as their coping strategies (Brief COPE) and emotional adjustment (The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Questionnaires were completed again 6 months later (T2). Results: Seventy-three AYAs were included at T1 and 21 AYAs at T2. Nearly one out of two (46.58%) AYAs had a problematic substance use or behavioral addiction after cancer diagnosis (T1). Problematic use of internet was frequently reported (23.29%), as well as harmful alcohol consumption or addiction (16.44%) and cannabis dependence (12.33%). The main factor related to problematic substance use was being older, while the main factor related to behavioral addiction was having a higher anxiety score. Substance use as a coping strategy was used more frequently by AYAs with problematic substance use and emotional support as a coping strategy was used more frequently by AYAs with a behavioral addiction. Conclusions: High rates of problematic substance use and behavioral addiction were reported in our sample. AYAs surveyed had high problematic use of cannabis and high internet use. Attention to substance use and addictive behaviors is recommended to ensure optimal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The French standard chemotherapy for osteosarcoma combines high-dose methotrexate (HDM) and etoposide–ifosfamide (EI) in children and adolescents, and API-AI (doxorubicin–cisplatin–ifosfamide) in adults. We herein present the results of M-EI and API-AI in 18- to 25-year-old patients. Methods: Patients, 18–25 years old, received either M-EI or API-AI regimens. M-EI comprised seven M and two EI doses preoperatively then M-EI in standard-risk patients (good histological response without metastasis) and five M-AP (methotrexate–doxorubicin–cisplatin) in high-risk patients (poor histological response, metastasis, and/or unresectable primary), postoperatively. API-AI comprised three API and two AI doses preoperatively, then two AI and two PI in standard-risk patients and five EI in high-risk patients, postoperatively. Results: We analyzed 95 patients 18–25 years of age: 55 received M-EI and 40 API-AI. The groups had similar baseline characteristics. Eighty-nine patients (94%) had surgery. Twenty-nine of 55 M-EI patients (60%) and 16/40 API-AI patients (41%) had good histological responses to preoperative chemotherapy. At 5 years, event-free survival was 50% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 39–60) and overall survival was 65% (95% CI: 54–74). Acute toxicity was similar, without treatment-related deaths. Conclusions: Survival outcomes with M-EI and API-AI were not significantly different. Tolerance was acceptable with both regimens. HDM is thus feasible for young adults. However, our study limitations preclude any definitive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study about the risk factors for second primary cancer (SPC) among children, adolescents and young adults previously treated for cancer, suggesting that such populations need effective SPC prevention strategies.