This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Abi Siva about follow-up care and support for breast cancer survivors. Dr. Siva is an oncologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating breast cancer and the Director of Medical Oncology at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. There are currently over 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. Doctor Abi Siva is here to talk about breast cancer survivorship. Doctor Siva is an oncologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating breast cancer, and she's the Director of Medical Oncology at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. Doctor Siva, who is really considered a breast cancer survivor.
Dr. Siva: Years ago, some suggested that the definition of survivor should include people who were cancer free for a minimum amount of time after their diagnosis. But this has changed. According to the National Cancer Institute, an individual is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of their life. So, there are many types of survivors. So, including those living with cancer and those free of cancer.
Conner: What exactly is a survivorship care plan?
Dr. Siva: Survivorship care plan is a detailed document that's provided to patients after their cancer treatment concludes. This is in reference to patients who are undergoing curative cancer treatment. So, it includes a comprehensive summary of the patient's treatment and also outlines key recommendations for follow up care. The plan typically includes schedules of physical exams and medical testing that are necessary to monitor for signs of recurrence. During these follow up visits, healthcare providers will also assess for any long term or late onset side effects from the cancer treatment that they received. It may also include information to help meet the patient's emotional, social, legal and financial needs and recommendations for healthy lifestyle, such as changes in their diet or exercise, or quitting smoking.
Conner: What can survivors do to help reduce their risk of cancer returning?
Dr. Siva: During our survivorship visits, we emphasize on several factors that the patients can follow to decrease the cancer returning. Eating right, seeing the cancer care team for follow up visits and also discussing any signs of concern during those visits would be very important. We always recommend our patients to follow a routine exercise plan at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate intensity activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of very active or intense activity is recommended.
Conner: What about mental health support that might be helpful for breast cancer survivors?
Dr. Siva: I think that's a very important aspect of survivorship. Mental health resources can be starting from practicing self-care, talking to loved ones, engaging in community resources, and also bringing up these concerns with the care team, especially the primary doctors, their oncologists, or mental health professionals. There are a variety of wellbeing resources and supports available to those patients living with breast cancer. One of the most frequently discussed resource is from the American Cancer Society. It's called the Reach to Recovery Program, which can be found on their website. And this program actually connects participants with breast cancer survivors for 1 to 1 support. So , identifying and addressing wellbeing challenges in a timely manner can not only improve the quality of life, but also lead to better overall health outcomes.
Conner: Doctor Siva, thanks for this information about breast cancer survivorship.
Dr. Siva: And thank you for having me here.
Conner: From the Radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
