After Cancer Treatment Survivorship Program

Life after cancer is filled with many questions and uncertainties.

The After Cancer Treatment Survivorship program at the Hyundai Cancer Institute at CHOC consists of a multidisciplinary team that provides comprehensive follow-up visits to evaluate your overall health concerns. Our specialists will also educate you and your family about the long-term effects of cancer treatment, fertility issues, education, employment rights and more.

At CHOC, we welcome all pediatric cancer survivors to participate in our survivorship program, even if you received cancer treatment elsewhere.

A Complete Approach to After Cancer Treatment Survivorship

The After Cancer Treatment Survivorship team is committed to ensure that you recover to your fullest after your diagnosis. We understand that a cancer diagnosis is disruptive, and that you and your family are defining your “new normal.” At CHOC, we also want to make sure you’re equipped with resources and answers to questions about life after cancer.

We provide the following comprehensive services to our survivors:

Creating a Wellness Plan

Guidance on how to define your “new normal”
Diet and nutrition
Exercise and other physical activity
Coping with fatigue

Managing stress and worry
Communicating your cancer experience with family and friends
Psychological and psychiatric care referral
Support group and patient/family education sessions

Monitoring for Late Effects of Treatment

Most survivors of cancer will have at least one long-term side effect of their cancer or their cancer treatment. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may cause issues in different areas and we can help monitor:

Heart
Lungs
Endocrine system (hormones)
Bone growth and strength
Hearing

Mouth (teeth and gum) health
Eyes
Cognitive function, such as memory, processing and concentration changes
Cancer recurrence or development of a second cancer
Treatment with primary care and specialty care providers, including transition to a primary care provider when appropriate

Learn more about the late effects of cancer treatment.

Management of Physical Changes

Rehabilitation services

Integrative health therapy
Nutrition services
Prosthetic management
Pain management

School Re-integration/Re-entry

School personnel and peer education
Evaluation of cognitive function
Individual Education Programs (IEP)
504 Plan

Personalized Treatment Summary and Notebook

It can be overwhelming to transition to life after cancer. We recommend keeping an organized summary of your treatments, so that it can easily be shared with other doctors. The necessary information related to your survivorship includes:

Type of cancer
Type and dates of treatment provided
Results of key laboratory reports and scans

Side effects and major complications experienced
The number and/or title of any clinical trial participation
Name(s) and contact information for your cancer care provider

Learn more about cancer support services at CHOC.

A Team Approach for a Healthy Life After Cancer

Depending on the after-effects of your treatment, your appointments may include CHOC experts from our many other specialties such as neurology, orthopaedics, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology and more.

Your CHOC cancer survivorship team will also include respiratory therapists, nurses and nurse practitioners, social workers, psychologists, rehabilitation therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, speech and occupational therapists and child life specialists, as needed.

Beyond the clinic, we also provide educational workshops and seminars for our teen and young adult cancer survivors. Our goal is to provide survivors with the tools they need to advocate for themselves.

Location

For more information about the After Cancer Treatment Survivorship Program or to make an appointment, please call 714-509-4348.
Before your visit, make sure to download the checklist and bring the documents to your appointment.