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AYA - Care for Young Adults with Cancer

AYA’s (Adolescents & Young Adults)

Every year, approximately 3800 young adults between the ages of 18 and 39 are diagnosed with cancer. It turns your whole world upside down, in the prime of your life. You are confronted with an all-encompassing illness. 

AYA care

As a young adult with cancer, you may face specific issues related to your age or situation. You may have normal questions related to an abnormal situation. At the NKI, our AYA care team is here to support you and answer any questions you may have, about all sorts of topics. The NKI AYA care team makes use of "Me and my..." age-specific topics. Find out more about this approach at the care network for young adults with cancer, the AYA-Zorgnetwerk.

The website of the AYA care network contains a questionnaire, only available in Dutch, that you can use to find out what you're struggling with and how you can put your questions into words. You can bring this questionnaire to the hospital. 

Some of the questions you can expect to find on the questionnaire are:

  • Should I still play sports?
  • How can I start a relationship?
  • Can I continue with my work or studies after my treatment?
  • How should I tell my children, friends, and other people in my life? 
  • Will I need to cryobank egg or sperm cells to be able to have children later in life? 
  • How should I handle intimacy and sexuality?
  • Can I keep living on my own or will I need to move back into my parents' house?
  • How should I pick my life back up after my treatment? 
  • How can I deal with the emotions and feelings of my loved ones?

The AYA clinic can support you with any of the questions above, as well as any other struggles you may face as an AYA. Our team can provide the support that you need to reach your full potential. If necessary, the AYA team can consult other professionals, such as medical social workers, psychologists, dietitians, or physical therapists. We can also provide referrals to our Supportive Care Team, spiritual counselors, rehabilitation physicians, or sexologist. 

The AYA team will not be providing your treatment. Your medical specialist will still be responsible for your therapy and screenings, and your nurse practitioner and contact person will continue to be available to answer questions during your treatment.

What to expect

You can schedule an appointment at the AYA clinic during your hospital stay or during treatment at the Outpatient Clinic. During your consultation, you can freely discuss your situation with a nurse practitioner from our AYA team. Together, the two of you will investigate what kind of support would be most useful for you. Your first consultation will take approximately one hour. 

AYA Care Team

The Netherlands Cancer Institute's AYA Care Team has professional experience and expertise in care for young adults with cancer. 

The AYA Care Team consists of two medical oncologists (internists) and two nurse practitioners:

Eva Swart AYA Jpeg
I am grateful to be able to support AYAs throughout all stages of treatment as well as afterward.
Eva Swart Nurse Practitioner AYAs

Collaboration

The NKI is an AYA center of expertise and is part of the AYA Zorgnetwerk, a care network for young adults with cancer. The NKI collaborates with other hospitals in the area.

Referral

Would you like to make an appointment? Please ask your medical specialist, nurse practitioner, or contact person for a referral. Visiting the AYA clinic is free.

Making or changing an appointment

To make or change your appointment, please contact the Planning Back Office 3 at the general phone number, +31 (0)20-5129111. For questions about the clinic, please email AYA@nki.nl.

Scientific research

We conduct scientific research at the NKI, in collaboration with the AYA care network and academic hospitals throughout the Netherlands. We currently have two large-scale trials running at the NKI: the COMPRAYA and SURVAYA trials.

Peer contact

We are currently in the process of establishing a peer group at the NKI. 

Would you like to meet peers who are facing the same struggles? Please notify your practicing physician, clinical nurse specialist, the AYA clinic, or email AYA@nki.nl.

Erik Mathijssen Levensboom CU Vogel

Survivorship Center

We can provide additional supportive care at the NKI: psychologists, physical therapists, art therapy, and dietetics. Visit the page below for an overview of our services at the Survivorship Center.
Center for Quality of Life

Relevant websites

For more information about peer contact outside of the hospital, please see the websites below (in Dutch):

Event calendar

Find an overview of events for AYAs below:

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