Considerations for adult cancer survivors

Abstract

With improvements in outcome, increased numbers of adult cancer patients survive free of their primary malignancy. Today, about 60% of adult patients diagnosed with cancer will survive 5 years after diagnosis. Therefore, immediate survival is no longer the sole concern. The aim of the cancer treatment now is to cure a patient's underlying disease and, at the same time, to minimize the incidence of post-treatment complications and ensure the best possible long term quality of life. The long time span between initial therapy and late effects, the multiple factors influencing cancer-related health risk and the unknown effect of treatment on normal aging are common characteristics of late effects. While the treatment strategy for a cancer patient depends widely on the type and extension of the disease, considerations for a long-term survivor depend much more on the type of treatment applied, age of the patient, and the patient's general health status as well as his or her familial and social integration. We discuss, based on the most recent knowledge, some typical examples of late effects in cancer survivors and the practical recommendations that could assist practitioner and patient decision about appropriate healthcare for specific clinical circumstances.