Your Survivorship Care Plan

The Institute of Medicine recommends that every cancer survivor be given a comprehensive care summary and follow-up plan upon discharge from cancer treatment. This care plan can be a paper or electronic document, and should also include plans for treating a recurrence of your cancer. You can request a survivorship care plan from your oncologist even if you were treated for cancer years ago.

Once your survivorship care plan has been developed, you will receive a copy and so will the health care professional who will be coordinating your care. In many cases this will be your primary care physician. Your plan will have two sections: a complete record of your treatment and care to date, and a plan for all aspects of your follow-up care.

Record of Care

Upon completion of your treatment, you will receive a written summary of the care you received as well as important information about your disease. Your record of care will include descriptions of the following:

• Diagnostic tests and results
• Your tumor: site, stage, grade, hormonal status, markers
• All of the treatments you received, including start and end dates, agents used and doses, your response and any side effects you experienced
• Other supportive services you received, such as nutritional and psychosocial counseling, physical therapy
• Contact information for all of your main health care providers and their institutions
• Contact information for the person who will be coordinating your follow-up care

Follow-Up Care Plan

Follow-up care is the main building block of your posttreatment plan. It is crucial in maintaining your health, managing treatment complications, and detecting potential cancer recurrence early, when it is most treatable. Your comprehensive survivorship care plan should include short-, medium-, and long-term medical and psychosocial follow-up on health and related issues. It should cover the following:

• Your recovery from any toxicities of treatment, and your need for ongoing health maintenance and therapy
• Your recommended screening, exams, and tests; when, where, and who should provide them
• Possible posttreatment or long-term side effects: symptoms and treatment
  
• Signs of recurrence or tumors
• Potential social effects of cancer on relationships, marriage, sexual functioning, work, parenting, and the need for psychosocial support (counseling)
• Information regarding health insurance, employment, and financial consequences of cancer; as well as referrals for counseling, legal aid, and financial assistance
  
• Healthy behavior recommendations: diet, exercise, ideal weight, sun exposure, virus protection, smoking cessation
• Discussion regarding whether your close blood relatives should be informed of any increased risk for developing certain cancers, and if  they need to be screened
  
• Genetic counseling and testing to see if you could benefit from more comprehensive cancer surveillance, chemoprevention, or risk-reducing surgery
• Information about medications that can help you prevent recurrence
• Referrals to follow-up health care professionals and providers, as well support groups
• Information sources for cancer-related resources