The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has announced the publication of new, free informational resources on health and wellness for cancer survivors. These two new NCCN Guidelines for Patients® are focused on healthy living and managing late and long-term side effects, and they include appropriate ongoing screening for recurrence. The books are available free to view and print at NCCN.org/patients or via the NCCN Patient Guides for Cancer App, thanks to funding via the NCCN Foundation and sponsorship by Good Days. The books Survivorship Care for Healthy Living and Survivorship Care for Cancer-Related Late and Long-Term Effects provide jargon-free roadmaps for what comes next after initial cancer diagnosis and therapy.
Practical Suggestions
“These guidelines include information on healthy living after a health crisis, which are good recommendations even for people who’ve never been diagnosed with cancer,” said Tara Sanft, MD, of Yale Cancer Center/Smilow Cancer Hospital, Vice-Chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Survivorship. “We want everyone to make a realistic plan to start moving more. It sounds simple, but we have really good data that exercise can reduce recurrence, even in people who didn’t exercise before diagnosis. It’s never too late.”
Tara Sanft, MD
The guidelines pay heightened attention to mitigating the risks of cardiovascular disease. There is also information for primary care providers to appropriately advise survivors, in collaboration with oncologists, to help them stay up to date on evolving screening recommendations.
“We know people do better overall when they’re healthier,” said Dr. Sanft. “We can improve longevity by addressing all of the factors that lead to poorer health and taking steps now to reduce long-term effects from treatment.”
A Growing Library of Resources
There are now more than 50 different books for patients and caregivers from NCCN covering every major type of cancer, along with topics such as managing cancer-related distress, nausea and vomiting, and special considerations for adolescents and young adults. Printed versions are available for a nominal fee at Amazon.com in addition to the free digital versions at NCCN.org/patients.
NCCN also recently released new books for patients and caregivers on bone cancer and primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Bone Cancer focuses on tumors that start in the bone or cartilage. The book includes treatment recommendations for chondrosarcoma, chordoma, Ewing sarcoma, giant cell tumor of the bone, and osteosarcoma. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Primary CNS Lymphoma offers expert diagnosis and treatment information for this uncommon and aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which can start in the brain, spinal cord, eyes, or surrounding tissue.
Learn more and help support these and other resources for people with cancer and their caregivers at NCCN.org/patients.
