Cancer as a chronic disease.
BACKGROUND
Over the past two decades the number of people Living with cancer has increased. Many cancer survivors end up with long term disabilities requiring ongoing care and support. For many people, cancer survival now means Living with a chronic and complex condition.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the long term management issues for cancer survivors and strategies to enhance their care.


CONCLUSIONS
Cancer survivors require ongoing support in four key areas: prevention; surveillance; intervention for consequences of cancer and its treatment; and coordination between specialist and generalist providers.


CONCLUSIONS
Cancer survivors experience significant physical and psychological morbidity which makes minimising their burden of disability and distress an important priority. Survivors require ongoing care that is well co-ordinated, focuses on prevention, provides going surveillance whilst minimising and managing the long term effects of treatment and other co-morbidities.
Phillips
Jane Louise
JL
The Cunningham Centre for Palliative Care and The University of Notre Dame Australia, P.O. Box 944, Broadway, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia. jphillips@stvincents.com.au
Currow
David C
DC
D000359:Aftercare / Q000458:organization & administration; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data