National Young Adult Cancer Awareness Week (NYACAW), April 4-10, 2010, is being celebrated and supported across the country, to raise awareness about the important cancer-related issues unique to this age group.  

Nearly 70,000 young adults between the ages of 15 to 39 are diagnosed with cancer each year and it is the leading disease killer among 20- to 39-year olds. In addition to the unique psychosocial concerns that young adults face - such as fertility, body image, cognitive function, long-term effects, education, insurance and employment - young adults have different biological and clinical aspects to their cancers, and have had less survival improvement than either younger or older patients.  

In support of this initiative, NOEP is introducing two free CNE programs (a video and a slidecast) on Young Adult Cancer Survivorship. We encourage nurses to know the warning signs of cancer, understand what types of cancer for which young adults may be at risk, and learn about cancer screening.

For more information on NYACAW, please visit www.youngadultswithcancer.org and www.livestrong.org/yaa.