Improving care for cancer survivors

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Adult cancer survivors may experience a range of consequences from their disease and its treatment. There is a need to improve the current model of post-treatment care, which is neither sufficiently effective nor sustainable in the context of a burgeoning population of cancer survivors.

Areas covered: We review the current state of post-treatment care, including its strengths and limitations. Guiding principles in the design of optimal survivorship care are discussed, including longitudinal risk stratification, survivorship care plans, incorporating patient preferences and remote monitoring. Alternative models of survivorship care are reviewed which seek to address individual patient needs and preferences. Other strategies for improving survivor outcomes are reviewed. Future research priorities are outlined, including exploring the lived experience of survivors and appropriate models of care.

Expert commentary: The challenge of providing optimal survivorship care is shared internationally and there is an opportunity to learn from the experiences of others. Despite high quality evidence for at least some cancer types, there has been limited adoption of alternative models of care and more work is required to translate these findings into routine practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Cancer
• survivorship
• models of care
• follow up
• risk stratification
• exercise
• fear of cancer recurrence
• research

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

No funding to declare.