Leading oncology experts are highlighting significant gaps in cancer survivorship care, particularly focusing on the challenges of transition management and long-term health monitoring of cancer survivors. These concerns were addressed at the 2024 Annual Oncology Clinical Practice and Research Summit, where specialists discussed current challenges and potential solutions in survivorship care delivery.
Dr. Andrew M. Evens, Deputy Director for Clinical Services at Rutgers Cancer Institute and System Director of Medical Oncology at RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group, emphasized the complex nature of survivorship care transitions. "There's a lot of gaps of care [for cancer survivors], and you can look at it through a couple different lenses," he explained, highlighting particularly vulnerable periods during care transitions.
Critical Transition Periods
One of the most challenging periods occurs when patients move from pediatric to adult care services. This transition between pediatric and adult oncologists represents a crucial point where patients may become "lost in transition," potentially compromising their long-term care management.
Post-Treatment Complications and Monitoring
Research has revealed concerning patterns in post-treatment health outcomes. Cancer survivors face significant risks of developing what specialists term "post-acute effects" (occurring 1-10 years after treatment) and "late effects" (manifesting beyond 10 years post-treatment). These complications can include:
- Cardiac disease
- Lung disease
- Increased susceptibility to infections
- Other organ-specific conditions
These health issues often relate directly to previous chemotherapy or radiation treatments, with some studies suggesting an exponential increase in organ-specific diseases over time.
Improving Survivorship Care
Healthcare providers are now focusing on developing more comprehensive approaches to survivorship care. Key areas of focus include:
- Understanding individual patient risk profiles based on their specific treatment history
- Implementing enhanced screening protocols
- Determining optimal timing and frequency of follow-up care
- Establishing clear responsibilities among healthcare providers for long-term monitoring
"It's [about] understanding for an individual patient who received their treatment. What are those post-acute and late effects? And importantly, what do we do about it?" Dr. Evens noted, emphasizing the need for personalized approaches to survivorship care.
The medical community is seeing increased research efforts in this area, with ongoing initiatives aimed at better understanding and addressing these challenges. Healthcare institutions are working to develop more structured approaches to ensure continuous, comprehensive care for cancer survivors throughout their lifetime.
