Survivorship Programs for the Cancer Survivor: Next steps for the Modern Cancer Patient

Cancer remains a significant medical challenge for modern health care. Therapies have improved. Chemotherapy can now be applied and targeted to specific expression products and biomarkers. Radiation therapy is directed to specific targets with applied image guidance including less normal tissue in the treatment fields. Surgery has improved with robotics and improvements in rehabilitation and recovery. More patients are surviving their primary challenge from malignancy. As such, more patients now have the imprint of therapy upon their normal tissues. It is important for all practitioners, including primary care physicians and medical subspecialists, to participate in the aftercare of these patients with a comprehensive strategic manner to both prevent normal tissue injury and ameliorate injury if/when it occurs.