Cancer survivors need follow-up plan

Cancer survivors should receive a customized follow-up plan to guide their care, according to a new U.S. report.

Half of all men and one-third of women in the U.S. will develop cancer in their lifetimes, said the report, titled "From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition."

Early detection and treatment are saving lives of an aging population, but doctors and other health-care providers may not address the physical, psychological and social consequences for cancer survivors, the report's authors said.

Dr. Sheldon Greenfield of the University of California, Irvine, led the study for the Institute of Medicine, an independent organization that advises the U.S. government on health.

The report recommends health insurers pay for a "survivorship care plan" summarizing information for a survivor's long-term care, such as:

• Diagnosis, treatment and potential consequences, including tumour characteristics and drug and radiation dosages.
• Timing and content of follow-up visits.
• Tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing new cancers or cancer from recurring.
• Legal rights for employment and insurance.
• Availability of psychological and support services.

The plan should also describe recommended screenings for different cancers. In some cases, scientists need to create or improve the guidelines.

Cancer survivors should also get information on the possible long-term effects of treatment, such as problems with mobility or memory, nerve or organ function damage and sexual dysfunction or infertility, the report recommends.

The report includes factsheets with a list of questions cancer survivors should ask their doctors.