VIDEO: New program aims to improve care for cancer survivors

Research suggests that the number of cancer survivors in the United States will exceed 26 million by the middle of the century, according to Ana Maria Lopez, MD, MPH, MACP.

As the cancer survivor population grows, it is becoming more important for primary care physicians to partner with the oncology community to address the needs of these patients, said Lopez, a professor and vice chair of Medical Oncology at Sidney Kimmel Medical College and chief of Cancer Services – New Jersey at Jefferson Health.

During the virtual ACP Internal Medicine Meeting, Lopez discussed essential components of survivorship care, including surveillance of secondary cancers, managing long-term effects of chemotherapy and considerations for reproductive function.

In addition to the physical effects of cancer treatment, Lopez said survivors also suffer from symptoms of PTSD.

“Fatigue and depression are common long-term side effects,” she said. “So, we need to think about, as clinicians, how to address the long-term needs.”

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship is supporting a new program called Survivorship Champions that aims to improve care for cancer survivors. The program provides clinicians with information on best practices and effective models of survivorship care.

“We encounter [cancer survivors] every single day in our clinics,” Lopez said. “Let’s work together. Let’s help build some of these bridges.”

To learn more about the Survivorship Champions program, click here.