Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.
Issue link: http://cancerfightersthrive.epubxp.com/i/197379
SURVIVORSHIP THRIVING THROUGH SURVIVORSHIP By Barbara Boughton According to the American Cancer Society, more than 13 million cancer survivors now live in the United States, and that number is expected to grow to more than 18 million by 2022—largely due to the aging U.S. population and advances in treatment. While more people diagnosed with cancer are beneftting from the better outcomes that new treatments provide and are living cancer-free after treatment, an increasing number are also living with cancer for many years, as with other chronic conditions. As researchers and clinicians learn more about the needs of this large community of survivors, cancer care is evolving to address the ongoing issues that patients face through treatment and beyond. SURVIVORSHIP Many cancer patients are surprised to learn that they are considered "survivors" from the moment they frst hear the words "You have cancer." This concept of survivorship, which defnes a person as a cancer survivor "from the time of diagnosis and for the balance of life," was developed by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and is widely recognized as the standard defnition within the cancer community. 16 cancer fighters thrive | winter 2013 Acknowledging that patients are survivors throughout active treatment and beyond provides a long-term view of their progression through cancer care, emphasizing the need for support throughout treatment, through the transition to recovery and continuing for the rest of their lives. Although the period of initial diagnosis and treatment can be overwhelming, this defnition encompasses the physical and emotional challenges that may continue long after active treatment ends, which can include ongoing side effects of treatment, maintenance treatment, managing a fear of recurrence, emotional distress and transitioning to the "new normal" of life after cancer. Increasingly, providing ongoing support to help patients address all of these issues has resulted in the creation of survivorship programs at hospitals around the country that are focused on helping patients navigate treatment and transition through recovery. The emergence of these programs is largely the result of a 2005 Institute of Medicine report titled From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition, which described the lack of best practices and guidelines for survivors' ongoing care. To ensure consistent support, the report recommended that providers use survivorship care plans, which sum- cfthrive.com