Survivorship - Living With and Beyond Cancer
Life and health after a cancer diagnosis and once treatment is over.
On this page:
Life After Cancer
Follow-up Care
Cancer Information Summaries on Specific Survivorship Topics
Statistics
Post-treatment Studies
NCI Offices
Life After Cancer
- Cancer Survivor Stories 1
Once treatment is over, cancer survivors cope with their new life in different ways. Here are some inspiring stories of survivors who took what they went through with cancer and turned it into something positive. Perhaps their stories will inspire you and offer hope that there is truly life after cancer. - Facing Forward: Life After Cancer Treatment 2
This publication covers post-treatment issues such as follow-up medical care, physical and emotional changes, changes in social relationships, and workplace issues. - Facing Forward: When Someone You Love Has Completed Cancer Treatment 3
Practical and supportive information to help caregivers cope with the shift in focus from treatment to recovery when caring for a loved one with cancer. - Facing Forward: Making a Difference in Cancer 4
Provides an overview of the potential benefits of involvement in activities that give back to one's community, as well as the ways one can become involved in these activities. Designed for cancer survivors and those who have taken care of someone with cancer. - Moving Beyond Breast Cancer Videos 5
Several breast cancer survivors discuss their journey and offer tips and advice to help cope with the challenges of recovery. - Radiation Therapy and You: Late Radiation Therapy Side Effects 6
A section of the online booklet "Radiation Therapy and You."
Follow-up Care
- Follow-up Care After Cancer Treatment 7
A fact sheet that provides information about follow-up medical care for patients who have completed cancer treatment. - Passport for Care: An Internet-Based Survivorship Care Plan 8
An article describing an interactive Internet resource developed by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Cancer Center for survivors of childhood cancer. The Web-based resource provides the user accurate, timely, and individualized healthcare information on a "just-in-time" basis. - Journey Forward: Guiding Survivors as They Move Ahead 9
The Journey Forward program helps survivors transition to life after cancer through the use of treatment summaries and follow-up care plans that include steps for follow-up care and monitoring. Journey Forward's custom-made Survivorship Care Plan Builder is available to any oncologist, and the electronic Medical History Builder allows patients to easily record their own health history.
Cancer Information Summaries on Specific Survivorship Topics
- Late Effects of Treatment for Childhood Cancer (PDQ®)
[ patient ] 10 [ health professional ] 11
Expert-reviewed information summary about the health problems that continue or appear after cancer treatment has ended. - Smoking Cessation and Continued Risk in Cancer Patients (PDQ®)
[ patient ] 12 [ health professional ] 13
Expert-reviewed information summary about the influence of continued smoking on cancer treatment and risk of second cancers. Interventions to encourage smoking cessation are also discussed. - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PDQ®)
[ patient ] 14 [ health professional ] 15
Expert-reviewed information summary about post-traumatic stress disorder in cancer patients, cancer survivors, and their family members. Assessment and treatment of this disorder are discussed.
Statistics
- Number of Cancer Survivors Grows 16
The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. There were 3 million cancer survivors in 1971 and 9.8 million in 2001. - Estimated U.S. Cancer Prevalence Counts: Who Are Our Cancer Survivors in the U.S.? 17
Information from the NCI's Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. - New Malignancies Among Cancer Survivors: SEER Cancer Registries, 1973-2000 18
This monograph describes and quantifies the risk of developing new malignancies among more than 2 million cancer survivors for the period 1973 to 2000.
Post-treatment Studies
- The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study: An Overview 19
Health problems that develop years later as a result of a survivor's original cancer treatment are known as late effects. The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) was started in 1993 to better understand these late effects. - Studies Suggest Exercise Improves Colorectal Cancer Outcomes 20
The results of two new prospective, observational studies offer compelling evidence to suggest that regular physical activity in the months following treatment may decrease the risk of cancer recurrence and death from colorectal cancer, according to the Aug. 1, 2006, issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. - Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplant Survivors Face Long-Term Challenges 21
People who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HCT) and survive for at least two years remain at increased risk of death even 15 years after treatment, reports a study published online August 1, 2007, in Blood.
NCI Offices
- Office of Cancer Survivorship 22
Information about cancer survivorship research. - Office of Advocacy Relations 23
OAR was established to help strengthen the institute's communications and relationships with national advocacy and voluntary organizations who work with consumer advocates, and scientific and professional societies concerned about cancer.