Long-term Survivorship Care Plans

 

January is often a time of reflection and new beginnings as we look toward a new year.  For a breast cancer survivor, there are many emotions and thoughts that come with ringing in the next year.  As we celebrate another year of life, many of us may worry about what this year might bring. Taking action is often a good way to handle fears.  As we look to 2014 I plan to add “I resolve to plan for my long-term survivorship care.” to my list of resolutions.  So what is a long-term survivorship care plan?

Survivorship care plans help you keep all of your information in one place, and they help guide your doctors if you develop health issues later in life that could be related to cancer treatment. You also have a record of your treatment if your physician leaves, if you move or your records get destroyed.

As you and your doctor put together your plan, include information about:

• Your final pathology report from after your surgery, including the cancer stage and characteristics of the tumor (ER, PR and HER2 status)
• Treatments and doses
• Problems with treatment and side effects
• Medicines you took to manage side effects
• Possible long-term side effects
• A schedule for future follow-up tests and appointments
• Recommended screening and surveillance tests for breast and other cancers
• Ways to cope with ongoing emotional concerns related to breast cancer
• General health and wellness recommendations like diet and exercise
• Suggestions for the future such as genetic testing or reconstruction

A post-treatment care plan is a living document that grows over time as your health changes, so it must include recommendations for future care. Among the issues your doctor may explore with you are weight, diet and alcohol consumption, which could impact your overall health and risk for recurrence.

The best time to create a plan is immediately after treatment, but if you didn’t do so, or if you are in ongoing treatment, it is not too late. The five-year mark, or after completing hormonal or targeted treatment, are also great times to create or update a care plan. Update your plan any time you have a significant change to your health—even years after you create the plan. Ask your physician to revise your plan after follow-up tests and surgeries or if you have long-term side effects.