Unlike the commonly used term and badge of honor of “surviving” your cancer, it is dealing with the aftermath of the cure. We have started diagnosing and treating and thankfully curing a lot of cancers in younger and younger patients. What happens in the treatments’ aftermath? The patients are now living a long lifespan, and dealing with long-term side effects of the treatment.

This has led to a new-ish service of a survivorship clinic. This does not require active Oncology care, but a combination of services for:

-Psychological help for the anxiety and depression of dealing with the possibility of a recurrence. Surveillance scans lead to anxiety about the results. In some, completion of the surveillance protocol and being discharged from Oncology care is distressing. I have patients who are delighted to be discharged, and some who bargain for an annual visit, even if they are disease free.

-Fertility issues, with sterility caused by medication or surgery

-Sexual dysfunction, for multiple reasons

-Nutrition problems, as a result of swallowing difficulty, loss of salivary function, surgery on the stomach or intestines

-Cardiac follow for coronary disease as a result of chest radiation or chemotherapy drugs

-Breathing difficulty from Lung scarring

-Strokes or blood clots; anemias, kidney malfunction, lymphedema

-Loss of functioning leading to unemployment

-Etc, etc, etc.

A lot of people move on and are happy to be cured. Life has changed, but they deal with it. Others need more help. If we recognize the problems, then we can help with some of them.