Conclusion

Most young adults with cancer initially misattributed symptoms to stress, lifestyle, or minor issues, and thus delayed seeking medical evaluation. Many used online information to inform care-seeking decisions but encountered content that minimized symptom severity or offered unclear guidance. Upon seeking care, several young adults had to self-advocate for diagnostic testing after providers initially dismissed their concerns. Strategies to improve young adults’ awareness of potential cancer symptoms, address misconceptions about cancer risk, and promote timely care-seeking are warranted. Efforts should also focus on improving the quality of online symptom information and equipping young adults with tools to communicate more effectively with providers. While systemic changes are also needed, individual-level communication campaigns could help shorten time to diagnosis and improve outcomes for young adults with cancer.