Communication about coping as a survivor

With improvements in early detection and cancer treatments, a growing cohort of cancer survivors is emerging. Maintaining communication with survivors poses a host of new challenges to care providers that have not received ample attention in the literature. This chapter covers a number of areas relevant to enhancing communication with survivors, including various definitions of who is considered a cancer survivor (including caregivers); the ever-increasing prevalence of survivors; key issues faced by cancer survivors such as late and long-term effects and transition back to primary care; coping strategies including the use of care plans and clinical practice guidelines; communication challenges with cancer survivors and among medical professionals taking care of survivors; models for survivorship care; and details about communication techniques in the survivorship consultation.