Dana-Farber’s Survivorship Program: What to Expect
A Supportive Step Into Life After Treatment
Finishing treatment is a major milestone, but it can also leave you with new questions about your health, your future, and how to feel like “yourself” again. Dana-Farber’s Adult Survivorship Program offers a space to pause, reflect, and get guidance tailored to life after active treatment.
How Young and Strong Can Support You
Access to a One-Time Survivorship Visit
If you continue your care at Dana-Farber and were diagnosed with stage 1-3 breast cancer, Young and Strong can help you connect with the Adult Survivorship Program for a one-time specialty visit. This visit is designed to address concerns that may not fit into your routine follow-up appointments, giving you a chance to step back and look at the “big picture” of your well-being after treatment.
Who Should Consider a Survivorship Visit
A survivorship visit is recommended if you have completed active treatment—such as chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation—or if you’re still receiving long-term endocrine therapy (for example, tamoxifen or letrozole).
What Happens Before Your Visit
The Young and Strong team will connect with your primary oncologist to confirm that a survivorship consult is appropriate. We’ll then reach out to you directly to answer questions, explain the process, and make sure the timing feels right. When you’re ready, we can place a referral on your behalf. Appointments are available virtually or in person.
An Addition to Your Care Team—not a Replacement
A survivorship consult does not replace your oncology team or change your ongoing follow-up care. Instead, it adds another expert to help you navigate the transition after active treatment and explore any medical, emotional, or lifestyle concerns you may have.
What to Expect at a Survivorship Visit
A Survivorship appointment gives you time and space to review your health after treatment and understand how to care for yourself going forward. Your provider will walk you through any long-term risks or effects from your past therapies and create a personalized plan to monitor for recurrence or secondary cancers.
A Whole-Health Review
During your visit, your survivorship provider will:
- Discuss ongoing health maintenance based on your age and medical history—this may include routine screening tests such as mammograms, pap smears, colonoscopies, and vaccinations.
- Offer lifestyle recommendations around tobacco cessation, nutrition, and exercise that support your long-term well-being.
Help Managing Symptoms and Medications
Your provider will help you:
- Address any persistent or new symptoms, including side effects from endocrine therapy.
- Review your current medications and adjust them if needed.
- Ensure that all survivorship recommendations are shared with your breast oncology team, who will continue to oversee your primary cancer care.
Support With Emotional and Social Well-Being
A survivorship visit also supports the parts of life that go beyond test results and follow-up appointments. Your provider can:
- Help you manage stress and emotional changes.
- Talk with you about sexual health—including concerns like vaginal dryness or changes in libido—and discuss available interventions.
- Support you through shifts in personal or intimate relationships following treatment.
- Provide tools and referrals for self-care, wellness, and any issues that may need more specialized attention.
Your Survivorship Care Plan
A survivorship care plan is a detailed document you’ll receive during your survivorship consultation. Think of it as a personalized roadmap—summarizing your past treatments, outlining long-term considerations, and laying out clear strategies for your future health.
This multi-page plan is designed to be shared with your primary care provider (PCP) so they have a complete, accurate record of your cancer history and follow-up recommendations. After your visit, the survivorship team will send a copy directly to your PCP to support seamless coordination with your oncology team.
A care plan can be especially valuable if you’ve had a complex treatment history. It keeps all important details in one place, helping you and every member of your care team stay aligned—particularly when monitoring for late effects or working with multiple specialists.
What’s Included in Your Care Plan
Health History
A summary of your medical journey, including providers you’ve seen and your genetic testing results (if applicable).
Treatment Details
Information about your surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, endocrine therapy, and other treatments.
Long-Term Risks
An overview of potential long-term effects related to your treatment, helping you and your providers stay alert.
Surveillance Strategies
How your oncology and survivorship teams will continue to monitor your health.
When to Call
A clear guide to the symptoms or concerns that should prompt you to reach out to your care team.
Survivorship Resources
In-person and online programs, groups, and organizations that can offer additional support.
Survivorship Program’s Unique Role in Your Care
Unlike providers who focus only on one cancer type, the oncology-trained clinicians in Dana-Farber’s Adult Survivorship Program care for people across many different cancers. This broad expertise allows them to look at your health from a wide lens and provide comprehensive care after treatment.
They are skilled in breast cancer surveillance—closely monitoring for signs of recurrence—while also helping you manage the health concerns that can surface after treatment ends. Your survivorship team can review side effects, coordinate routine screenings, and offer guidance on healthy lifestyle choices.
If you ever need more specialized care, they will connect you with the right experts and supportive services, making sure every part of your health is cared for as you move forward.
Myth vs. Facts About Your Survivorship Visit
Myth 1: “Survivorship providers replace my PCP or oncology team.”
Myth 2: “There’s a time limit; I’ll eventually ‘graduate’ out of the program.”
Myth 3: “The Survivorship Program mainly offers support groups and case management.”
Transferring Your Follow-Up Care From Your Oncologist to the Survivorship Program
After active treatment ends—chemotherapy, surgery, radiation—or while you’re continuing long-term medications like tamoxifen, Young and Strong can help you schedule an initial survivorship consult. As time goes on, your breast oncology team may determine that it’s appropriate for you to fully transition your follow-up care to the Survivorship Program. Understanding how this transition works can help ease any uncertainty.
Who is typically eligible to transfer?
Your oncology team may recommend transitioning to Survivorship care if you:
- Are at a safe point to receive your ongoing cancer surveillance through the Survivorship Program
- Have completed all active treatment, including endocrine therapies
- Are considered at low risk for recurrence
What Follow-Up Looks Like
Once you transition:
- Routine follow-up visits generally shift to once a year. These appointments help monitor your health, review any concerns, and update your care plan when needed.
- These visits do not replace regular care with your primary care provider (PCP). You will continue seeing your PCP for general health needs.
When to Reach Out Between Visits
You don’t need to wait for your scheduled appointment. The Survivorship Program is available if new symptoms appear, late effects from treatment arise, or you simply have questions about your health. They are there to support you as your needs evolve.
