Track: Survivorship After Treatment  

Survivorship After Treatment  

Sub-Track:

Survivorship after cancer treatment refers to the period following the completion of active treatment when individuals continue to live with and manage the physical, emotional, and psychosocial effects of cancer. This phase of cancer care focuses on supporting and empowering survivors to optimize their quality of life and overall well-being. Survivorship care encompasses several key aspects. Firstly, regular follow-up visits with healthcare providers are essential to monitor for potential recurrence or late effects of treatment. During these visits, survivors may undergo physical examinations, laboratory tests, imaging studies, and other assessments as necessary. Secondly, survivorship care addresses the long-term physical and emotional effects of cancer and its treatment. Survivors may experience a range of physical symptoms, such as fatigue, pain, neuropathy, and sexual dysfunction, as well as psychological and emotional challenges, including anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and adjustment to a new normal. Supportive care services, including counseling, rehabilitation, pain management, and survivorship programs, help survivors manage these issues and enhance their overall well-being. Additionally, survivorship care emphasizes the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Encouraging survivors to engage in regular physical activity, maintain a balanced diet, avoid tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption, and manage stress can contribute to their long-term health and reduce the risk of other chronic diseases. Furthermore, survivorship care recognizes the unique needs of cancer survivors across different age groups and populations. It addresses specific concerns related to fertility and family planning, reproductive health, sexual health, and the impact of cancer on relationships and social support. In recent years, survivorship care planning has gained prominence. These plans provide survivors with a summary of their cancer diagnosis, treatment received, potential long-term effects, and recommendations for ongoing care and follow-up. Survivorship care plans facilitate communication between survivors, their healthcare providers, and other members of the care team, ensuring coordinated and comprehensive care.

SUBTOPICS:
·        Survivorship Care Plans
·        Cancer rehabilitation services
·        Follow-Up Medical Care
·        Late Effects of Cancer Treatment