Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Care

Over the past 25 years, cancer survival rates have improved significantly both in Ireland and internationally as a result of enhanced clinical care and emerging treatment modalities.  It is estimated that the number of cancer survivors is set to double over the next 25 years. A cancer survivor is described as someone living with and beyond cancer.  Cancer survivorship is wide-ranging and encompasses prevention and surveillance for new and recurrent cancers, health promotion, surveillance and management of physical, psychological and social effects, coordination and management of chronic conditions, psycho-oncology, self-management, supportive care and social prescribing. 

Many domains of health-related quality of life (HRQL), including physical wellbeing, psychological wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing and social wellbeing, can be impacted by cancer and its treatment. In addition to this, given the typical older age profile of individuals with cancer, many individuals have or are at risk of developing other chronic conditions. Survivorship care and research in cancer survivorship, involves multiple disciplines addressing patient needs and concerns throughout the survivorship continuum.   This theme also includes the impact of cancer diagnosis on the family members – spouse, partner and children.

The 2017-2026 National Cancer Strategy for the first time placed an emphasis on survivorship highlighting that cancer survivors require high-quality care to support recovery and adjustment to the range of chronic physical, psychological and social issues experienced after cancer.  In late 2019, a National Cancer Survivorship Needs Assessment was launched, ‘Living with and beyond cancer in Ireland’, included in which is the call to support research into all aspects of cancer survivorship, through collaboration between stakeholders, including cancer survivors themselves. 

High Level Goals: TSJCI Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Care

1. To reduce the impact of physical, psychological and social difficulties for cancer survivors and their families and improve quality of life (including palliative care).
2. To expand the evidence base to inform education, clinical and public health strategies to optimize healthy aging of cancer survivors.
3. To expand the number of disciplines currently involved in this research area

 Key strategic enablers: TSJCI Cancer Survivorship and Supportive Care

1. Develop multi-disciplinary supportive care services and interventions to optimize the management of physical, psychological and social survivorship issues
2. Collaborate in the area of survivorship clinics to determine optimum methods of survivorship management
3. Ensure PhD and Research fellows are routed to survivorship roles. The MSc in Cancer Survivorship commenced in September 2020.

Theme Lead

Professor Juliette Hussey