NCCN presents new guidelines for survivorship

4/09/2013

According to the National Cancer Institute, there are more than 12 million American cancer survivors. Recognizing and managing the health care needs of survivors has become a significant responsibility of oncologists and primary care providers. To answer that call, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network has issued its first ever Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Survivorship. The new NCCN guidelines were presented at the organization's 18th Annual Conference on March 14. "An individual is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of his or her life," said NCCN Guidelines Panel Member, Jennifer A. Ligibel, MD. "The NCCN Guidelines for Survivorship focus on the vast and persistent impact both the diagnosis and treatment of cancer have on the adult survivor, particularly after they have completed their initial cancer treatment." The NCCN survivorship guidelines cover eight distinct areas: anxiety and depression, cognitive function, exercise, fatigue, immunizations and infections, pain, sexual function, and sleep disorders. They also include a sample assessment tool in order to routinely evaluate a survivor's needs and concerns. "This has been a passion of mine, and I am so excited to see survivorship now becoming a part of all discussions on cancer care," said Georgia CORE Director and cancer survivor, Angie Patterson. "The NCCN survivorship guidelines will be a great tool for the Cancer Patient Navigators of Georgia." NCCN Guidelines are developed and updated through an evidence-based process in which the expert panels integrate comprehensive clinical and scientific data with the judgment of the multidisciplinary panel members and other experts drawn from NCCN Member Institutions. Access to the complete library of NCCN Guidelines is available free-of-charge to clinicians at www.NCCN.org.