Low-touch, team-based care for co-morbidity management in cancer patients: the ONE TEAM randomized controlled trial

Health Care Transitions Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer

Survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancers, defined as individuals diagnosed with a primary malignancy between age 15 and 39 years, are a growing population with unique developmental, psychosocial, and health-related needs. These individuals are at excess risk of developing a wide range of chronic comorbidities compared with the general population and, therefore, require lifelong, risk-based, survivorship care to optimize long-term health outcomes. The health care needs of survivors of AYA cancers are particularly complicated given the often heterogeneous and sometimes fragmented care they receive throughout the cancer care continuum. For example, AYA survivors are often treated in disparate settings (pediatric v adult) on dissimilar protocols that include different recommendations for longitudinal follow-up. Specialized tools and techniques are needed to ensure that AYA survivors move seamlessly from acute cancer care to survivorship care and, in many cases, from pediatric to adult clinics while still remaining engaged in long-term follow-up. Systematic, age-appropriate transitional practices involving well-established clinical models of care, survivorship care plans, and survivorship guidelines are needed to facilitate effective transitions between providers. Future studies are necessary to enhance and optimize the clinical effectiveness of transition processes in AYA cancer survivors.

Use of Cancer Survivorship Care Guidelines by Primary Care Providers in the United States

BACKGROUND

National organizations have issued comprehensive cancer survivorship care guidelines to improve care of cancer survivors, many of whom receive care from primary care providers (PCPs).

METHODS

We analyzed Porter Novelli's 2019 fall DocStyles survey to assess use of cancer survivorship care guidelines, receipt of survivorship training, types of survivorship services provided, and confidence providing care among PCPs in the United States. We grouped PCPs by use of any guideline ("users") versus no guideline use ("nonusers"). We calculated descriptive statistics and conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine guideline use, having received training on providing survivorship care services, and confidence in providing care. Within the panel, sampling quotas were set so that 1000 primary care physicians, 250 OB/GYNs, 250 pediatricians, and 250 nurse practitioners/physician assistants were recruited.

RESULTS

To reach selected quotas, 2696 health professionals were initially contacted to participate, resulting in a response rate of 64.9%. Sixty-two percent of PCPs reported using guidelines and 17% reported receiving survivorship care training. Use of any guidelines or receiving training was associated with reporting providing a range of survivorship services and confidence in providing care. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, guideline users were more likely than nonusers to report assessing genetic cancer risk (OR = 2.65 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.68, 4.17)), screening for cancer recurrence (OR = 2.32 95% CI (1.70, 3.18)) or a new cancer (OR = 1.63, 95% CI (1.20, 2.22)), and treating depression (OR = 1.64, 95% CI (1.20, 2.25)). Receipt of training was also positively associated with providing genetic risk assessment, surveillance for recurrence, as well as assessing late/long-term effects, and treating pain, fatigue, and sexual side effects.

CONCLUSION

Survivorship care guidelines and training support PCPs in providing a range of survivorship care services.

Cardiometabolic Comorbidities in Cancer Survivors

There are nearly 17 million cancer survivors in the United States, including those who are currently receiving cancer therapy with curative intent and expected to be long-term survivors, as well as those with chronic cancers such as metastatic disease or chronic lymphocytic leukemia, who will receive cancer therapy for many years. Current clinical practice guidelines focus on lifestyle interventions, such as exercise and healthy eating habits, but generally do not address management strategies for clinicians or strategies to increase adherence to medications. We discuss 3 cardiometabolic comorbidities among cancer survivors and present the prevalence of comorbidities prior to a cancer diagnosis, treatment of comorbidities during cancer therapy, and management considerations of comorbidities in long-term cancer survivors or those on chronic cancer therapy. Approaches to support medication adherence and potential methods to enhance a team approach to optimize care of the individual with cancer across the continuum of disease are discussed.

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Cancer survivors are at increased risk for several chronic conditions, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes.

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Determining optimal management of comorbidities for patients with cancer is critical.

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A multidisciplinary care approach is recommended throughout the continuum of active cancer treatment and survivorship.

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Survivorship research should focus on medication adherence and coordination of care.