In a nutshell
This article published in 2013 is written by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). It discusses the need for a comprehensive care program for cancer survivors. They also look at how this care program should be available for all survivors irrespective of what cancer treatment they received or what type of cancer they had.
Some background
Methods & findings
This article discusses initiatives in the delivery of the quality of survivorship care by the Cancer Survivor Committee formed by the ASCO in 2011. The committee is focused on providing education along with educational resources and tools for survivors, oncologists and primary care teams. They also want to collect patient data from clinical trials; this type of data can indicate which treatment methods and medications were more effective for each cancer type.
Some patients diagnosed with early prostate cancer may follow a watch a wait treatment method, while others may have their prostate removed. Side effects can include bone loss (osteoporosis), erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence and pain/swelling in the rectum. These may be short-term side effects or they may last for years. Consequently, patients may require a greater amount of healthcare support.
Additionally, this article stresses the need for comprehensive funding for survivors through medical insurance, with appropriate reimbursement to cover all aspects of survivorship care.
The bottom line
Overall, this paper highlights the need for a diversified and comprehensive healthcare for all cancer patients following curative treatment.
Published By :
Journal of clinical oncology
Date :
Jun 18, 2013
