This information explains follow-up care after treatment for thoracic cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK).
About 18 months after your treatment ends, you may be eligible to be referred to the Thoracic Cancer Survivorship Program. This program is designed for people who have completed treatment for thoracic cancer.
Survivorship Nurse Practitioner
In the Survivorship Program, you’ll see a survivorship nurse practitioner (NP) for your care. A survivorship NP is a member of your thoracic cancer team that specializes in caring for people after they’ve finished their treatment. Your survivorship NP will take care of you after your cancer treatment, including to help you manage the physical and emotional effects of cancer and late effects of treatment. They will also look out for signs of cancer recurrence (cancer coming back) or the development of a second cancer.
Your survivorship NP will give you and your primary care provider a treatment summary and survivorship care plan. If needed, they’ll discuss your care with your healthcare provider.
What to Expect During Your Survivorship Clinic Visit
During your survivorship visit, your NP will:
- Give you a physical exam, if you’re having an in-person visit.
- Talk with you about your medical history.
- Address any side effects of treatment.
- Order tests, such as x-rays, scans, and blood tests, and review the results with you.
- Give you counseling about living a healthy lifestyle, such as diet, exercise, and quitting smoking.
- Recommend screening tests for other cancers.
- Give you a referral to another healthcare provider, if needed.
- Prescribe medication, if needed.
After each follow-up visit, your survivorship NP will give your healthcare provider an update about your health.
Resources for Survivors
Our Resources for Life After Cancer (RLAC) Program offers social support, education, and counseling for patients who have finished treatment. For more information, call 646-888-8106 or go to www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/survivorship/services-survivors
