Study Finds Palliative Care Underused in Young Cancer Patients

A study published July 23 in JAMA Network Open found that only 17.1% of 67,706 young adults aged 18 to 39 received concurrent palliative care during cancer treatment between 2021 and 2023.

While overall usage of palliative care increased from 9.3% in 2010 to 18.3% in 2023, receipt of these services varied significantly by cancer type, ranging from 1.9% for Hodgkin lymphoma to 39.1% for lung cancer.

Researchers noted that patients receiving concurrent palliative care were more likely to be female, aged 35 to 39, and treated at community cancer programs rather than specialized facilities.