Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Sarcoma Program

Contact the AYA Sarcoma Program 

617-632-4991

The AYA Sarcoma Program was developed to promote collaborative clinical care and research across adult and pediatric oncology.

Dr. David Shulman is the Program Director.

For established patients and general inquiries, call 617-632-4991 or email dfciayasarcoma@dfci.harvard.edu.

New Patient Appointments

Fill out this form or call one of our new patient lines:

Unsure if you should be seen in pediatric or adult oncology? Call 617-632-4991.

Request an Appointment
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Sarcoma Program was developed to provide comprehensive clinical care uniquely tailored to the needs of adolescents and young adults (ages 15-39) with sarcomas while advancing our understanding of these challenging diseases through cutting-edge research.

What is AYA?

AYA stands for “adolescent and young adults” and includes patients primarily between the ages of 15 and 39 years.

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Sarcoma and AYA

Sarcomas are a rare group of cancers that arises from the connective tissues of the body (bones and soft tissues such as muscle and fat). There are over 150 types of sarcomas, and they are treated in different ways. For AYAs, these cancers occur during the important years when individuals are finishing school and building a career and family. 

Our Mission

Dana-Farber’s AYA Sarcoma Program aims to improve outcomes for adolescents and young adults with sarcomas by leveraging expertise within pediatric and adult oncology; harmonizing patient-centered complex medical and psychosocial care across disciplines; and advancing collaborative translational research.

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Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Care

Your care team includes a range of providers from different specialties with expertise in caring for AYAs with sarcomas. Using a team-based approach, we combine our expertise from the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Childhood Solid Tumor Center and the Dana-Farber Sarcoma Center to help you make the most informed decisions about your care. Our providers work together to provide treatment plans best suited to your needs, including access to innovative clinical trials.

We will connect you to the care you need including Dana-Farber's Young Adult Program, which offers resources to all young adult cancer patients at Dana-Farber no matter the type of cancer.

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Helping Cancer Patients Navigate the Healthcare System

Vinayak Venkataraman, MD, discusses young adult patient care on Boston Globe Today.

Desmoid Tumor Support Group 

This virtual drop-in support group is offered through the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Sarcoma Program to any young adult (ages 18-39) diagnosed with a desmoid tumor.

The group meets the fourth Wednesday of every month from 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET on Zoom.

Please email dfciayasarcoma@dfci.harvard.edu to register.

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Teen Bounces Back from Solid Tumor Sarcoma with Care Team’s Help 

She may be an accomplished competitive skier, but Maggie Gove is just as adept at getting up and over mountains as she is racing down them.

 

Gove is a three-time cancer survivor who has managed to keep up on the slopes and with her studies despite long periods sidelined by surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation for a soft tissue sarcoma. 

Read Her Story