Why You Need Routine Survivorship Check-ups Even if You Feel Well
Many cancer survivors reach a point–either during cancer treatment or after it ends– where they feel well or “well enough” and they want to move on and stop thinking so much about cancer. Living your life without cancer “front and center” is an important goal. At the same time, it is important to remain proactive about protecting your health. Your health plan should include ongoing care from your oncologist and a specialized survivorship care team. Ongoing care is not only for people who are experiencing problematic symptoms: it can help you feel well and stay well.
Why is ongoing care so important? Some of the most important health issues that can affect cancer survivors may not cause symptoms in their early stages so they benefit from monitoring and screening. The good news is that ongoing care with your oncologist AND your survivorship medical team can help prevent some of these conditions, or detect them early so they can be successfully managed.
The Hidden Side of Cancer Survivorship
Most cancer survivors are aware of the need for ongoing monitoring for recurrence or flare-ups of their initial cancer. While this surveillance is critically important, it is only one component of survivorship care. It is also essential to help address the side effects of cancer treatment that can affect nearly every part of the body and many aspects of daily life. Some side effects appear during treatment, while others, called “late effects,” may emerge months or even years later. Some examples include:
- Heart Disease or weakened heart function
- Changes in bone strength and fractures
- Hormonal changes
- Persistent fatigue
- Lymphedema
- Nerve damage
- Cognitive changes ("brain fog")
- Fertility concerns
- Lung problems
- Changes in sexual health
- Diabetes and metabolic conditions
- Sleep problems
- Anxiety, depression, and fear of cancer recurrence
Many of these conditions develop gradually and may not cause symptoms until they become more advanced.
This is why survivorship care focuses not only on treating any symptoms you are experiencing, but also on proactive monitoring and screening to detect issues before they become serious.
A Helpful Comparison: Cancer Survivorship Care Is Like Preventive Maintenance
Most people understand the value of routine maintenance for their car. You don't wait for the engine to fail before getting an oil change. You check things regularly so small problems don't become big ones.
Your health deserves the same approach.
Survivorship care is preventive maintenance for your body. The goal is to protect your future health.
Treating your symptoms now prevents them from becoming bigger problems later that could keep you from fully participating in life. Additionally, early detection of late effects can mean more treatment options & less intensive treatment. Many late effects can be managed successfully when detected early. The result is fewer complications and a better quality of life.
For example:
- Heart disease risk can often be reduced through early detection of issues and treatment.
- Bone loss can often be slowed or prevented.
- Anxiety, depression, and sleep problems are highly treatable.
- Lymphedema can often be managed more effectively when addressed early.
- New cancers are generally easier to treat when found at an earlier stage.
Many survivors report feeling less anxious—not more anxious—after developing a clear survivorship care plan because they know someone is actively watching out for their future health.
Why You Need Ongoing Care from a Survivorship Team in Addition to Seeing Your Oncologist
Today, there are more cancer survivors than ever before. Advances in cancer detection and treatment have helped millions of people live longer after a cancer diagnosis.
This is wonderful news—but it has also created a new challenge.
The number of cancer survivors is growing faster than the oncology workforce. Across the United States, experts project ongoing shortages of oncologists as demand for cancer care continues to increase. As a result, oncologists are caring for more patients than ever before.
The reality is that a typical oncology follow-up visit may not provide enough time to address every aspect of a survivor's long-term health and well-being.
A survivorship team working alongside your oncologist can help fill that gap and get you the care you need.
What You Can Do Today
Whether you are in cancer treatment or you finished treatment recently or many years ago, consider taking these steps:
1. Tell Your Medical Team About Any Symptoms You Are Experiencing
Many symptoms like fatigue, trouble sleeping, cognitive challenges, and more can be improved with treatment. These symptoms do NOT have to be your “new normal.”
2. Stay Up-to-Date on Recommended Screenings
The details of your cancer treatment can help determine which screenings and preventive services are appropriate for you. These may include cancer screening, heart health monitoring, bone health assessments, or other evaluations tailored to your history.
3. Pay Attention to Emotional Health
Survivorship includes addressing mental health. Anxiety, depression, distress, and fear of recurrence are common and treatable. You do not have to manage them alone.
4. Adopt Positive Lifestyle Habits to Stay as Healthy as Possible
Research has shown that engaging in regular exercise, eating a healthy balanced diet, and eliminating tobacco use are excellent strategies to improve your overall health. Survivorship care can help you make these changes safely and successfully- and maintain these positive changes over time.
5. Ask for a Referral to Survivorship Care
Discuss a monitoring plan for late effects of treatment and new cancers. Even if you feel well, ask:
"What health conditions should I be screened for because of my cancer treatment?"
The Bottom Line
Cancer survivorship care is not just for people who have problematic symptoms. It is for anyone who wants to protect their long-term health during and after cancer. The goal is to catch problems early so they can more easily be addressed.
The most important message to remember is this:
Feeling well is wonderful. Staying well is even better. And proactive survivorship care can help cancer survivors feel and stay well.
