Palliative care remains underused among young adults with advanced cancer in U.S.

Palliative care remains underused among young adults with advanced cancer in U.S. 
American Cancer Society, Chicago, IL; 10/10/25 
Although palliative care use has increased over time among young adults with advanced cancers in the United States, new research led by the American Cancer Society (ACS) found that utilization still remains very low. Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for individuals with serious or life-limiting illnesses. ... Researchers, led by Kewei (Sylvia) Shi, MPH, at the American Cancer Society, used the National Cancer Database to identify patients aged 18-39 who were newly diagnosed with stage-IV cancers. ... The study included a total of 76,666 patients. The percentage receiving any palliative care increased from 2.0% in 2010 to 4.8% in 2023.