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Teens and Young Adults
Directors
Dr. Nathalie Gaspar
Dr. Lucy Métayer
Contact
Phone: +33 (0)1 42 11 60 56
9th floor
dpt.enfantado@gustaveroussy.fr
Adolescents and young adults (AYAs), aged 13 to 25, who have cancer require specialized oncological care that encompasses both pediatric and medical expertise. Beyond treatment, their care also encompasses psychosocial, educational, and vocational aspects, which are essential during this pivotal period of life.
With this in mind, Gustave Roussy established France’s first oncology unit dedicated to AJA in 2002 to address needs that had previously been inadequately met. This initiative was led by Prof. Laurence Brugières, a pediatric oncologist.
In 2012, their care was expanded with the creation of the Specific Interdisciplinary Care Program for Adolescents and Young Adults (SPIAJA). Led by a multidisciplinary team, the program is dedicated to patients treated within the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology and the Department of Medical Oncology.
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400 to 500
Consultations at Gustave Roussy each year involve adolescents and young adults
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150
New patients are treated each year by the SPIAJA team
Pediatric oncologist or medical oncologist?
Both specialists in cancer treatment, pediatric oncologists and medical oncologists work together to care for adolescents and young adults. The pediatric oncologist is an expert in the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of childhood cancers, while the medical oncologist treats adult cancers. At the intersection of these two fields, adolescents and young adults—whose care falls neither entirely within pediatrics nor entirely within adult medicine—thus benefit from the expertise of both specialties.
Specialized Care
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Dr. Christelle Dufour
Head of the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology
“When a teenager or young adult is diagnosed with cancer, it complicates the process of developing their identity and self-image. As a result, care must be tailored to their specific needs, incorporating additional expertise to ensure that the young person can continue their education, personal development, and life plans as effectively as possible. From a medical standpoint, the choice of treatments is crucial for maximizing the chances of a cure while maintaining quality of life and minimizing long-term side effects as much as possible. A multidisciplinary discussion among radiologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, pediatric oncologists, and medical oncologists is essential in making this treatment decision.”
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Prof. Laurence Albiges
Head of the Department of Medical Oncology
“From a medical standpoint, adults and young adolescents present with ‘borderline’ forms of cancer—neither pediatric nor adult—that require tailored treatments. Furthermore, these patients are at a pivotal stage in their lives, particularly as they begin to navigate their personal and professional lives. Beyond the effectiveness of medical care, the goals are therefore to maintain, as much as possible, a ‘normal’ life during and after treatment while minimizing long-term side effects.”
A care pathway at the intersection of two fields of oncology
Comprehensive care for adolescents and young adults has continually evolved to provide them with a care pathway tailored to their needs. Medical and pediatric oncologists are trained in the management of cancers in adolescents and young adults and work together through daily exchanges of expertise. This complementary approach allows for a finely tuned and personalized treatment plan for each patient.
- Learn more about the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology [notes: link to be added]
- Learn more about the Department of Medical Oncology
Care for adolescents and young adults at Gustave Roussy is organized around three main areas.
These meetings bring together pediatric and medical oncologists. Together, they develop treatment plans for their patients.
Therapeutic trials aim to improve treatments for difficult cases while minimizing risks. These trials are conducted within a strict framework, ensuring the protection of participants through rigorous scientific and ethical standards.
All members of the SPIAJA program team are involved in research—whether clinical, translational, or basic—to better understand and treat cancers in adolescents and young adults and to support them. Studies are being conducted on various topics, such as cancers specific to this age group (osteosarcoma, lymphoma, germ cell tumors, etc.), long-term treatment-related side effects, as well as research in the humanities and social sciences on the impact of care.
A team dedicated to adolescents and young adults
Medical Specialists
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Dr. Nathalie Gaspar
A pediatric oncologist and co-medical director of the AJA team, she combines clinical and scientific expertise in adolescents and young adults, as well as in preclinical drug development.
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Dr. Lucy Métayer
A pediatric oncologist and co-medical director of the AJA team, she specializes in particular in the care of adolescents and young adults. She is also the head of the “La Montagne” adolescent unit.
- Dr. Benjamin Verret
A medical oncologist, he serves as a lead investigator, alongside Dr. Nathalie Gaspar, on the STRONG-AYA project, which aims to improve healthcare systems for adolescents and young adults with cancer.
- Dr. Anna Patrikidou
A medical oncologist, she is involved in clinical research through European trials.
- Dr. Natacha Naoun
A medical oncologist, she specializes in genitourinary cancers.
Spaces and activities for getting together
At Gustave Roussy, patients under the age of 25 have access to two spaces dedicated to them: Le Squat, located on the 9th floor in the Department of Pediatrics, and L’Escale, on the 7th floor in the Oncology Unit.
To help these patients continue to live their lives as young people, the SPIAJA team, along with about fifteen organizations, organizes cultural and artistic activities, including visual arts, writing, reading, theater, and computer-assisted music.
GO-AJA
An organization dedicated to recognizing the unique nature of care for AJA
Founded in 2012 by a group of healthcare professionals, including Dr. Laurence Brugières, who served as the association’s first president, the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology and Hematology Group (GO-AJA) aims to raise awareness of the unique nature of their care from therapeutic, societal, and psychological perspectives. This association is composed of medical oncologists and pediatricians, nurse coordinators, psychiatrists and psychologists, social workers, and all professionals involved in the care of young people, as well as the young people themselves through patient organizations.
Contact and Practical Information
Gustave Roussy
114 Edouard Vaillant Street
94805 Villejuif
Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Oncology Main
Building, 9th Floor
Department of Medical Oncology
Main Building, 7th Floor
Contact
Tel.: +33 (0)1 42 11 60 56
dpt.enfantado@gustaveroussy.fr