Cancer care for adolescents and young adults under the age of 50 in Saudi Arabia: policy review, research gaps, and future directions

The increasing cancer incidence rates among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are emerging as a critical public health challenge globally, including in Saudi Arabia. This review evaluates and highlights the current progress and challenges in providing patient-centred care to AYAs under 50 years of age in the Kingdom, with ten practical recommendations for policy and research initiatives. Although cancer rates among Saudi AYAs are approximately half of those in developed countries, data on their clinical and psychosocial needs remain scarce, limiting a holistic understanding of their challenges. There is a need for tailored, unified treatment protocols, dedicated treatment facilities, and a comprehensive approach to improving the psychological well-being of AYAs. We call for targeted research to address underlying risk factors for cancer among AYAs and gaps in survivorship care. We also inform policy development, enabling care providers, non-governmental organizations, and healthcare institutions to address these needs effectively. Translation: For the language translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.