What’s Next? The Cancer Survivorship Plan
After going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment, cancer survivors may wonder: Now what? Treatment is over, but the effects of cancer on your physical body, your mind and your life are real and can be long-lasting.
The goal of any post-treatment care should be to alleviate these lingering effects.
That’s where survivorship care plans come into play.
“A survivorship care plan is a living document, and it changes,” Adrienne Vazquez Guerra, M.S.N., APRN, at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth – University of Miami Health System, says. “It’s a personalized document which summarizes a survivor’s medical history, treatment they received, side effects that they may be experiencing or at risk of and the different providers and their responsibilities for care. We see survivors at least yearly to check in on how they’re doing and if they need further support. If so, we make those updates and redistribute the plan.”
Think of it as a blueprint for you and your health care team.
Each care plan is unique and provides a treatment summary and recommendations for follow-up care. These recommendations may include screening, blood work, surveillance, lifestyle modifications, and attention to lifestyle factors. Your plan also takes into account the late- and long-term effects of treatment, financial concerns, sexual health, emotional well-being, nutrition, rehabilitation, education, and more.
“We can support a cancer survivor as early as the end of their first line of treatment, and throughout the continuum of their journey,” Guerra says.
Across the country, institutions adhering to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, such as Sylvester, commit to implementing these care plans, which are a core component of ensuring that the effects of cancer do not compromise a cancer survivor’s quality of life. Survivors at Sylvester can even be referred to one of its many specialized survivorship wellness clinics or supportive care services.
“At Sylvester, we have a lot of experts within our walls,” Guerra says. “But if a survivor receives primary care outside our walls, we can also route their care recommendations to their chosen provider.”
Like with survivors undergoing active treatment, these care plans are a continuation of treating the whole patient and address problems directly related to a survivor’s cancer.
Perhaps the most important aspect of your survivorship care plan? Your care is centralized between multiple providers.
When you report an issue, whether it’s a physical symptom like fatigue or nerve damage or financial strain from medication costs, you can be referred out for additional care or cancer support services. The care plan ensures that all providers are informed and aware of the current recommendations.
“We didn’t do our job if we cured your cancer, but are then not helping to manage the long-term side effects,” Guerra says. “We have to make sure we, as providers, are all on the same page so that nothing slips through the cracks.”
As improvements are made in screening, treatment and supportive care, the life expectancy of cancer survivors continues to extend beyond that of previous generations. In fact, a study published in July 2024 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that, as of January 2022, there were nearly 18.1 million cancer survivors in the United States — almost four times the number in 1975.
With researchers projecting that the population will continue to grow, these survivorship care plans become more important than ever in addressing quality of life concerns.
A survivorship care plan is designed to evolve and adapt over time.
“Let’s say you saw a nutritionist when you were diagnosed with cancer a year ago,” Guerra says. “Your needs at that time were to maintain a healthy body weight because you were going to have chemotherapy. And now, two years later, you’re on hormone therapy, and it’s causing you to experience fatigue, and you’re not exercising as much. This is a perfect example of when it’s time to revisit the nutritionist. Many times, I’ll refer patients back as needs change. It’s not just one and done, it’s a continuum of care.”
Survivors can make the most of their care plans by being open and transparent about their needs — not just with their providers, but with themselves. If you’re survivorship journey is just beginning or if you’ve been on the journey for a long time, your advocacy is your biggest asset to improving your survivorship experience. Speak up when you have a concern.
For more information on Sylvester’s survivorship program or survivorship care plans, visit Sylvester.org/survivorship.
Written by Cara Tremols for Sylvester.
Tags: Adrienne Vazquez, Health care coordination, Patient advocacy in oncology, Post-treatment support, Survivorship resources
