The American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Physicians hosted a Cancer Survivorship Symposium January 27-28th in San Diego, California. Recognizing that over time, cancer survivors are more likely to receive care from their primary care providers (PCP), the conference aimed to provide information about survivorship issues that both PCPs and oncologists are faced with regarding care of their patients.
The meeting program and abstracts are both posted and are available to review.
#BCSM was well represented! @stales, @itsthebunk and @coffeemommy attended the conference as well as a pre-conference symposium for patients and caregivers. @dianeradfordmd presented a poster abstract with results of a #BCSM community survey, noting that a majority of patients did not receive survivorship care plans.
@ASCO produced a summary of some of the tweets. For a more detailed look, check out the Symplur transcript.
T1: A main theme for the survivorship conference was collaboration of primary care docs and oncologists in the overall survivorship planning. What’s your experience with this care coordination?
T1a: Do you have a primary care that now acts as the manager of your long term survivorship care?
T2: With a shortage of primary care docs and oncs, care coordination will become more difficult. Are there other ways to hack your own survivorship care plan if you don’t have the necessary team?
T3 With advances in care, cancer survivors are living longer – so, how do we differentiate “long term effects” from cancer care from simple old age aches and pains? How do we manage the stress and concern we might have when don’t immediately recognize the ache/pain issue?
T4: What’s one tip or trick you’d like to share with patients building their life after cancer treatment is over?
