By Sue Rochman
Adults Living Strong
By Sue Rochman
The issue of cancer survivorship has come into its own in recent years. In November 2005, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published the report “From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition,” which underscored the need for more research on this group of patients and their future medical care.
One of the IOM’s recommendations was for all cancer patients to be provided with a comprehensive Cancer Survivorship Care Plan, which would outline the treatments a patient has received and all necessary follow-up care. In response, the American Society of Clinical Oncology has developed modifiable documents that provide customized plans for survivors of breast and colon cancers. Survivorship plans for survivors of other cancers are expected in the near future.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation has also fueled the effort to expand survivorship programs with its establishment of the LiveStrong Survivorship Center of Excellence Network. Today, there are eight National Cancer Institute–designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers that have established or expanded survivorship programs as member institutions of the LiveStrong network.
These include:
- Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York City
- Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus
- University of California, Los Angeles Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, Denver
- University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill