Cancer Survivor – What Comes Next?

Abstract

Introduction

The number of long term cancer survivors (more than 5 years after diagnosis) are nowadays increasing because of advances in cancer screening, early detection, treatment strategies and management of acute treatment toxicities.

Objectives

We aim to highlight the long-term psychological responses or late effect of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

Non systematic literature review through the Medline and clinical key databases, with time constraints.

Results

There are physical and functional difficulties that may not be solved with the conclusion of treatment or can become problematic in survivors of cancer.

Long-term refers to psychological or emotional responses that emerge after cancer diagnosis and treatment and persist for at least 5 years. Late effects of cancer refer to psychological or emotional responses that emerge after treatment completion. Risk factors to its development depends on the diagnosis, type of treatment, age at treatment, time since treatment, genetic vulnerability, psychological, social and environmental factors.

Specific deficits are more prevalent in survivors than in healthy adults of the same age. Fatigue, sexual dysfunction, cognitive impairment and musculoskeletal symptoms are common. Functional limitations that induce restricted physical and social activities may happen in survivors. Physical function and late complications can be influenced by lifestyle, socio-economic and biologic factors.

Conclusions

Cancer survivors face short-term and long-term challenges to physical and mental health and they need to be addressed in the active treatment and throughout the continuum of survivorship care. Screening for mental health morbidity should be better integrated into active cancer treatment and survivorship and it should be provided mental health later interventions.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.