In 2005, the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) issued, “From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition,” documenting deficiencies in cancer care during the transition from treatment to long-term survivorship. The report recommended that patients receive a survivorship care plan (SCP) that summarizes a patient’s diagnosis, the cancer treatments received, and the possible implications of treatment, and that also outlines future health care needs. In 2015, the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer made provision of SCPs an accreditation requirement, though this was subsequently relaxed in 2019. SCPs have been widely endorsed, but uptake has been limited. Previous trials, primarily using patient-reported outcome (PRO) end points, have failed to demonstrate impact on outcomes such as functional status and well-being. This study’s purpose was to identify the simplest, most effective, and feasible SCP process, for diverse settings and cancer types, to promote appropriate survivorship care. Because SCPs are intended to help survivors understand and receive needed follow-up care, the study’s primary end point was adherence to SCP-recommended care.
