The Survivorship Care Plan is a tailored document created by those primarily responsible for
cancer treatment for the purpose of providing detailed information regarding a patient’s cancer
and treatment history and to define surveillance schedules, identify health priorities related to
both cancer therapy and general health, and indicate how (by whom and in what setting) followup
care is provided. It is tailored to each cancer survivor, can be modified according to
developing concerns and needs, is shared with the patient, the primary care provider and
members of the patient’s support network, and is modifiable upon completion of active therapy.
Essential aspects include a comprehensive summary of all care received, detailed pertinent
cancer-specific information, such as tumor characteristics, and a clear description of what ought
to be done during both short- and long-term follow-up.11 This information is important to both
survivors and their physicians, as a substantial number of patients are not knowledgeable about
the treatments they have received.12 Additional information, such as the likely course of
recovery, expected short-term toxicities related to treatment, outlined strategies for ongoing health maintenance, and recommended preventative treatments likely improve the utility of
the plan, which may translate into better cancer care