Cancer Survivorship: Why It's Time to Prioritize Post-Treatment Care
"Discover how innovative survivorship programs are transforming cancer care and why investing in these services is crucial for patient well-being and long-term health."
In the landscape of cancer care, a shift is occurring—one that recognizes the journey doesn't end with the final treatment session. Cancer survivorship programs are emerging as a vital component, designed to support patients as they transition from active treatment to a new phase of life. These programs focus on addressing the physical, emotional, and psychological challenges survivors often face.
Originally fueled by a desire to distinguish their cancer center, the team at Pearlman Cancer Center embarked on a mission to create a comprehensive survivorship program. Inspired by the City of Hope's Survivorship Education for Quality Cancer Care, they recognized the urgent need to provide structured support for patients post-treatment.
Despite facing initial hurdles, including funding limitations, the team collaborated with local universities to tap into resources and expertise. This collaborative approach not only enriched the program but also highlighted the potential for academic partnerships to enhance patient care.
The Growing Survivorship Challenge
Cancer survivorship has become an increasingly important part of health care as more people live beyond treatment. Post-treatment needs may include ongoing medical follow-up, support for lasting effects, and help adjusting to life after cancer. Because these needs vary widely, survivorship care should be individualized and approached as an ongoing part of recovery.
Standards With Gaps
Post-treatment cancer care often lacks clear ownership, timelines, and closure rules, shifting coordination work onto survivors and staff. National survivorship standards are intended to guide high-quality care and support future improvements in research, practice, and policy. However, use of the National Standards for Cancer Survivorship Care Toolkit is voluntary, and the broader lack of national standards has impeded reimbursement, quality measurement, and equitable care.
An Evolving Field
Cancer survivorship care has developed alongside improvements in cancer detection and treatment. As more people live after cancer, attention has broadened from treating the disease to addressing life after treatment. This evolution has encouraged health systems to consider survivorship as an ongoing component of cancer care.
Building a Comprehensive Survivorship Program
Creating an effective survivorship program involves several key components, each designed to address specific needs. The Pearlman Cancer Center's approach offers a blueprint for other centers looking to establish or expand their own programs. Here’s how they tackled the challenge:
- Needs Assessment: Conducting a baseline needs assessment of current cancer survivors to identify key areas of concern.
- Evaluation Plan: Collaborating with a senior MSW student to develop an evaluation plan to measure the effectiveness of educational efforts on survivors’ well-being.
- Resource Sharing: Assembling the survivorship program into a "kit" and offering it to other cancer centers as a blueprint for developing their own survivorship program.
Expanding Evidence
Recent research and reviews continue to examine how survivorship care can address the medical, psychological, and practical consequences of cancer treatment. The field increasingly recognizes that surviving cancer does not necessarily end health-related challenges. Current work is therefore focused on improving follow-up care, identifying unmet needs, and developing more responsive models of support.
Persistent Unmet Needs
Workshop participants identified opportunities to improve the planning, management, and delivery of cancer survivorship care. Studies report that a significant number of survivors experience long-term or late effects and have unmet care needs, while awareness among health professionals remains insufficient. Commentaries and reviews likewise conclude that existing care models do not adequately address the breadth of physical, psychosocial, and supportive needs among cancer survivors.
Different Needs, Different Models
Comparisons of survivorship approaches suggest that no single model can address every survivor's needs. Care may need to differ according to cancer history, treatment effects, psychosocial circumstances, and access to services. This variability supports evaluating care models by how well they provide coordinated, accessible, and individualized post-treatment support.
The Pearlman Survivorship Kit: A Model for Success
The Pearlman Survivorship Kit is divided into four booklets, providing a structured approach to implementing a survivorship program:
Making Survivorship Routine
The available evidence supports treating survivorship care as a core part of cancer care rather than an optional afterthought. Effective support must account for physical effects, emotional well-being, social circumstances, and uncertainty after treatment. Prioritizing these needs can help make the transition beyond active treatment more coordinated and patient-centered.
Preparing for a Larger Survivor Population
The number of cancer survivors in the United States was about 18.6 million on January 1, 2025, and is projected to exceed 22 million by 2035. Future challenges include an aging survivor population, novel treatments with new and sometimes unpredictable toxicities, and shortages among oncologists and primary care physicians. Meeting this demand will require a trained workforce, accessible referral pathways, adequate reimbursement, and targeted efforts to reduce disparities.
Survivorship Beyond Remission
Survivorship is increasingly understood as a complex experience that can include late physical effects, psychological distress, social role changes, and medical uncertainty. Experiences also differ by cancer type and by how individuals navigate the overlapping identities of being well and being ill. A proactive approach should provide ongoing guidance that evolves as survivors age, their health changes, and new challenges emerge.
Life After Treatment
The effects of cancer and its treatment can extend into survivors' daily lives, even though the impact on participation in everyday activities remains less well understood. Young adult survivors may experience disruptions in relationships, education, and careers during and after treatment. Research on survivorship care models is therefore concerned not only with clinical outcomes but also with how effectively care helps people resume meaningful roles and activities.
The kit's consultation model involves a video about survivorship, a Post-Treatment Needs Assessment, and the creation of a Treatment Summary and Care Plan. Patients meet with a nurse practitioner, dietitian, and social worker to discuss recommendations for nutrition, physical activity, and overall well-being.
By prioritizing post-treatment care and investing in comprehensive survivorship programs, healthcare providers can significantly improve the lives of cancer survivors, helping them to thrive beyond their diagnosis.