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Ask LIVESTRONG: Young Adult Cancer

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Today we had the pleasure of having Dr. Brandon Hayes-Lattin in the office. Brandon is an oncologist that focuses on young adults (ages 15-40). We asked the LIVESTRONG online community what questions they had for Brandon regarding young adult cancer and we received over 40 responses. Although we didn’t have time to answer them all, we did our best to hit on major themes. The five major themes were:

What are the genetic risks of cancer?
What kinds of cancer can be caught through screening?
How can I prevent cancer recurrence or prevent genetic cancers?
What is young adult oncology and which places specialize in it?
What are the follow up recommendations for my cancer?

Below is a short video answering some of the questions.

For more information about your specific cancer type including follow up recommendations, risk assessments, the recommended screening ages for cancer and more, please go to www.livestrong.org/survivorcare or call us 1-866-673-7205 Monday-Friday 9-5 EST.

  • BETSY MORRISSEY

    Hello ALL SURVIVORS AND MOTIVTED MEMBERS OF LIVESTRONG

    BRIEFLY, I AM 43 YRS OLD & LIVE IN NYC PRIMARILY TO BE VERY NEAR MY DOCS AT NY PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL.
    I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH END STAGE RENAL FAILURE @ AGE 15 IN 1981. THERE WERE NO GROUPS OR SUPPORT, ANS THE INTERNET DID NOT EXIST.
    I HAVE HAD COUNTLESS COMPLICATIONS AND LIVE WITH CONSTANT COMPLICATIONS & HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS ALL MY LIFE. WITH DETERMINATION, I COMPLETED HIGH SCHOL, COLLEGE, AND THEN WENT TO CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE TO BECOME A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT.
    AFTER MY 2ND RENAL TRANSPLANT, I WORKED FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS WHEN I DEVELOPED SQUMAMOUS CELL SKIN CANCER IN 1997. I HAVE SINCE HAD 11 IN-PATIENT ADMISSIONS FOR LIFE-THREATENING CAUSES AND HAD MORE THAN 600 SKIN CANCERS EXCISED.
    I CONTINUE TO SUFFER TREMENDOUS PAIN FROM THE CONSTANT SKIN CANCER SURGERIES 13 YEARS LATER AND I UNDERGO SKIN PROCEDURES EVERY TWO WEEKS. ADDITIONALLY, MY 3RD RENAL TRANSPLANT IS FAILING AND LIFE IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. I TRY TO STAY POSITIVE.
    THE WORST PART ASIDE FROM THE PAIN IS SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LIVING SOLELY OFF DISABILITY INCOME- BARELY PAYING BILLS IN NYC.
    MY SITUATION IS NOT TEMPORARY AND MY SKIN CANCER HAS ONLY PROGRESSED OVER 13 YEARS.
    I AM ENVIOUS OF THE LIFESTRONG MEMBERS BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF EACH OTHER- OTHER PATIENTS WITH SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS. BEING IN RENAL FAILURE, ANEMIA, AND SKIN CANCER, & MANY OTHER AILMENTS, I DO NOT HAVE THE STAMINA TO BIKE RIDE EVEN A MILE, BUT WOULD LOVE TO TRY.
    I LIVE IN NYC ON DISABILITY AND IT IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING, FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I CANNOT WORK AS A PA THAT I WENT TO YEARS OF SCHOOL FOR FINACIAL

    IF YOU HAVE ANY LOCAL CHAPTERS IN NYC, I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF- THANK YOU!
    BETSY M