NCCN Publishes New Survivorship Guidelines

Last month the NCCN released new guidelines that address the evaluation and management of common survivorship issues following completion of therapy. They include anxiety and depression, cognitive dysfunction, exercise recommendations, fatigue, immunizations and infections, pain, sexual dysfunction, and sleep disorders. A sample baseline assessment tool is offered, with more in-depth survey questions included within each guideline. Most of the recommendations are category 2A, that is, based on lower level evidence, but supported by uniform consensus that the recommendation is sound. We've known for years that sexual issues are ubiquitous in our patients, and yet, they're probably the most consistently underaddressed  problem we see on a regular basis. Perhaps these guidelines will give us the knowledge and the push we need to begin routinely talking with patients about how cancer and our treatments have impacted their sexuality and intimate relationships. Please check out these new guidelines on the NCCN website http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/f_guidelines.asp under Guidelines for Supportive Care. As well-designed randomized clinical trials are conducted in the area of Survivorship, the quality of our evidence will continue to improve. Eventually, there will be no gap in services for our cancer patients completing treatment.