Proton Beam Therapy and the AYA Sarcoma Patient Journey: Highlighting Needs from Diagnosis to Survivorship

Background: Adolescents and young adults (15-39 years of age at time of diagnosis: AYA) with sarcoma are a unique patient population. The objective of this review is to examine the literature outlining the benefits of proton beam therapy (PBT) for treatment of AYA sarcoma patients, barriers to PBT, evaluation of AYA-specific considerations and challenges, and exploration of future opportunities for improvements in care. Methods: An electronic search was conducted using databases and online search engines, primarily PubMed. The search criteria included studies and reviews completed from 2015 to 2025. Results: 57 articles were reviewed and categorized into sections: PBT for the treatment of the AYA patient, barriers to PBT, AYA-specific considerations and challenges, and future directions for the care of an AYA patient. Conclusions: Through this review, PBT can be deemed necessary when treating AYA sarcoma patients with radiation therapy to decrease long-term therapy-related toxicities. Furthermore, considerations for caring for an AYA sarcoma patient must extend beyond evidence-based treatment plans and must embrace the patient as a whole person through acknowledgement of the challenging impact on physical, mental, and social well-being from symptoms to diagnosis, diagnosis to treatment, and treatment to survivorship.