Cancer Research & Clinical Trials

Improvements in cancer survival for AYA patients have lagged behind those for childhood cancer as well as for cancer in older adults. Plus, the AYA population has the lowest enrollment rate in clinical trials. The biology of cancer and cancer patients is often different in the AYA age range. Future success in the care of teenagers and young adults requires improved therapies and increased understanding. For this reason, the AYA oncology program at Mercy is committed to providing access to clinical trial enrollment.

Our center is a member of the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), an organization of 200 of the top pediatric cancer centers around the world. In addition, the AYA oncology program participates in clinical trials through other research groups including the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG).