Onco Dr hear from many patients that the time after completing active cancer treatment is a time when they feel ‘unsettled’ and worry about an uncertain future. They may be relieved that treatment is over but worry about the future. In some ways, this transition is one of the least understood aspects of the cancer experience.

A patient’s main medical care may eventually move back to their primary care physician. Cancer survivors often say they feel lost in this transition. Onco Dr recommend each patient takes time with their oncologist to clarify the follow-up schedule of visits and tests recommended for the future. This helps make it clear who will lead each part of their post treatment survivorship care and what to expect.

Patients can also use these visits to have deeper conversations about their future health, seek advice on how to manage side effects, or get referrals to supportive services. These visits may serve as a reminder to address the important issues of maintaining other areas of their general health. Overall, our goal of these discussions is to make sure that the patient has proper follow-up for their cancer-related and other health-related problems and that the patient knows how their primary care physician will be involved.