Reply to A. Bertrand et al

Abstract

We thank Bertrand et al 1 for their letter in response to our recent publication in JCO Oncology Practice. 2 We agree that the low rates of documentation of discussions including those regarding contraception, sexual health, and fertility preservation are striking and appreciate the added perspective provided by the authors. The data presented in the letter highlight an international need to support care improvement models for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer. To this end, the authors present data supporting dedicated multidisciplinary AYA programs. Highlighting the disparities between oncology provider assessments and documentation seen in our study, we believe that our combined data further support the implementation of AYA programs that incorporate tools to evaluate AYA care needs beyond provider assessments. This work is ongoing, including the recent development of the AYA Needs Assessment & Service Bridge (NA-SB) tool, 3 as well as ongoing research, including that is to be done within our group, to use stakeholder input and iterative design to generate and implement tools that best capture the needs of AYAs. We applaud the ongoing work by Bertrand et al to care for this vulnerable patient population.