AYA Services and Support

Those who are in active treatment still receive care through their primary medical team. During that process, our team is by your side every step of the way. We constantly talk to your medical care team so that we can best help you during cancer treatment with education and support.

A cancer diagnosis or treatment for cancer can affect the ability to have children. Oncofertility is an area of medicine that helps people with cancer understand their options for having children after treatment. This includes fertility preservation for men and women.

Female fertility options:

• Egg banking: Freezing eggs and storing them for future use
• Embryo banking: Freezing and storing eggs fertilized with sperm (embryos)
• Ovarian transposition: Moving the ovaries away from areas of the body that need radiation therapy
• Tissue banking: Removing and freezing a small portion of healthy ovary to transplant later

Male fertility options:

• Sperm banking: Freezing and storing sperm with California Cryobank for future use
• Testicular extraction: Surgically removing sperm to freeze (when ejaculation isn’t possible)
• Tissue banking: Removing and freezing portions of the testicles to save and transplant later

Questions? Our team is here with the resources you need, including information about financing, to make the right choice for you.

Learn more about oncofertility

UCLA Health's AYA Cancer Program provides comprehensive genetic testing for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer. This includes enhanced molecular profiling to detect genetic mutations or changes that cause cancer. We also offer genetic counseling services to help you:

• Understand your test findings
• Estimate your risk of hereditary cancer syndromes
• Make educated decisions regarding treatment options and future cancer prevention strategies

Learn more about genetic testing

Under the care and close supervision of our experts, we offer advanced, new cancer treatments and monitor their safety and effectiveness through leading-edge clinical trials. That means you may be able to access treatments that aren't available anywhere else.

Clinical trials give you:

• Access to the newest advances in cancer treatment
• Improved chances of survival
• Regular, thorough monitoring of your health

We can help you find clinical trials and support your decision-making process. We can also help you:

• Learn about the risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial
• Connect to UCLA’s vast clinical trial network(Link is external) (Link opens in new window)
• Identify open trials by age and cancer type
• Work with your doctor to ensure that a clinical trial is your best path forward

Find a clinical trial

Do you have questions about how your cancer treatment options can affect your financial future? We'll help you find the guidance you need to evaluate your current finances and understand your financial landscape.

For example, when it comes to health insurance, we can help you:

• Learn how to switch insurance providers
• Explore what type of insurance plan you have
• Determine how changes to your treatment may affect what insurance covers
• Find sources of insurance if you aren’t covered by an employer or parent

Browse our other financial assistance resources or email ayaprogram@mednet.ucla.edu.

Through the emotional peaks and valleys, our community and experts know how to help find and maintain mental health balance. This includes:

• Screening: Our team screens every AYA cancer patient for mental health conditions. By screening for issues such as anxiety or suicidal thoughts, we can offer you appropriate support and resources.
• Counseling: Our counselors are here to discuss whatever’s on your mind and help you figure out how cancer affects your relationships; what you should do about school/work; how to navigate moving back in with your parents; and what cancer changes about your sexuality and sexual health.

Explore mental health resources

Unite with others who are dealing with similar circumstances, emotions and challenges. You can do this through:

• Community: Our AYA cancer support community is made up of people who get what you’re going through, because they are also adolescents and young adults.
• Peer support: Join our peer cancer support groups, where you can be open and honest about what you’re feeling and experiencing. View support groups for patients

Survivorship is the process of living through, with and beyond cancer. That means survivorship starts at diagnosis and includes these phases:

• During treatment: The first part of survivorship is about self-care and living well while undergoing cancer treatment. It's also about understanding what’s happening to your body and mind and making decisions that can affect the future.
• After cancer: We are your lifelong partner in survivorship, here to support your mental and physical health. In the years beyond cancer care, we’ll monitor you for lingering side effects. When needed, we’ll follow up with appropriate testing and specialists.

Survivorship is about more than surviving after cancer — it’s about flourishing. Our team acts as your sounding board as you live a healthy, happy and prosperous life. We help with tackling issues such as:

• Going back to school or work
• Living with side effects or chronic cancer
• Navigating new or changed relationships
• Coping with the fear of recurrence
• Overcoming a reluctance to connect with others
• Making financial plans