Cancer Survivorship
Overview
At M Health Fairview, we align with the National Cancer Institute’s definition of survivorship. “An individual is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life. There are many types of survivors, including those living with cancer and those free of cancer.” We also recognize the impact that a cancer diagnosis and treatment can have on family members and caregivers. The cancer survivorship program at M Health Fairview offers comprehensive support to ensure your well-being as a survivor, no matter where you are in your journey.
Our approach
We're Here For You
Your well-being is our priority, and our comprehensive cancer survivorship program is designed to support current patients, longtime survivors, those living with cancer, and caregivers. The program offers the services and support through the following:
Clinical Care
Supportive Care Services: Cancer diagnosis and treatment can cause disruptions to your physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Caregivers also experience related disruptions in their lives. Common feelings may include isolation, fear of recurrence, anxiety and depression, financial and insurance concerns, persistent physical changes such as activity intolerance, weight concerns, or neuropathy.
Our supportive care services exist to enhance your experience, wellness, and quality of life during or after the cancer experience. We have various team members that specialize in providing support, education, and resources to cancer survivors and their families. If you are experiencing any of the concerns listed above, please review our fact sheet on our cancer center resources here. Follow the prompts in the fact sheet if you have additional questions about any needs you may be experiencing or with any questions you may have.
- Survivorship Care Plans: At the completion of cancer treatment, patients can commonly experience a wide range of emotions. To support you in this transition period, your care team at M Health Fairview can provide you with a survivorship care plan that summarizes your cancer diagnosis and treatment history and outlines the next steps for you and your healthy living. If you have questions about a survivorship care plan, please discuss with your cancer care team.
Late/Long-Term Effects of Cancer Diagnosis or Treatment: Some patients may be at risk of developing late or long-term effects. These are medical conditions caused by cancer treatments or blood and marrow transplant (BMT treatment). They may appear months or years after treatment ends. Late effects vary, and not all survivors will experience late effects. The most common late effects are: second cancers, cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) issues, bone problems, infertility, graft vs. host disease (BMT survivors), infections from drugs that suppress the immune system.
Our long-term cancer survivor clinics are dedicated to supporting survivors of cancer and BMT by offering long-term monitoring and follow-up care, regardless of where you received your initial cancer treatment. Please contact our scheduling line at 612-676-4200 if you are interested in learning more about any of our long-term survivorship clinics, or click here for more information.
- Adult cancer survivors are eligible for long-term survivorship care 5+ years following completion of treatment.
- BMT survivors are eligible to receive 3 survivorship visits in the first two years following their transplant.
- Survivors of childhood cancers are eligible for long-term monitoring five years after a pediatric cancer diagnosis, or three years after a blood and
marrow transplant.
Please contact our scheduling line at 612-676-4200 if you are interested in learning more about any of our long-term survivorship clinics or continue reading below for more information.
Long-Term Survivorship Clinic
What to expect at a Survivorship visit: During your appointment, you will see a medical provider who specializes in treating cancer survivors. Your provider will:
- Review your health status and complete a physical exam if needed
- Screen for possible late effects of cancer treatment
- Assess your self-management practices and provide personally tailored resources designed to empower you to be a leader in your survivorship journey
- Provide you with follow-up care for any health-related issues
- Order tests or refer you to specialty providers if needed
- Work with you to create an individualized care plan which you, your family, and medical team can use as a guide for planning and
coordinating your survivorship care - Introduce you to the latest survivorship research opportunities
As a result of this visit you and your primary care physician will receive a summary of your treatment plan and recommendations for follow-up.
Providers for Cancer Survivorship
View All ProvidersLocations for Cancer Survivorship
- M Health Fairview Cancer Center - Maple Grove
- M Health Fairview Cancer Center – Maplewood
- M Health Fairview Cancer Center - Wyoming
- M Health Fairview Cancer Center - Edina
- M Health Fairview Cancer Center - Burnsville
- M Health Fairview Cancer Center - Woodbury
- M Health Fairview Masonic Cancer Clinic
M Health Fairview Cancer Center - Maple Grove
M Health Fairview Cancer Center - Burnsville
News & Stories
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M Health Fairview offers new treatment against certain types of melanoma
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Health Library Resources
Visit Health Library
Resources for the Cancer Survivorship Community
On this website, you can find previously recorded education sessions on topics specific to cancer survivorship (nutrition, activity and exercise, mental wellbeing, sexual health, etc), as well as live events.
Survivorship Education Events
- The Thrive Series: A free weekly virtual series in the fall that provides education on common survivorship topics, such as nutrition, activity, emotional wellbeing, and sexual health.
- The Survivorship Conference: A free annual hybrid event in the spring that focuses on questions and issues that survivors and their families often face after cancer treatment or following stem cell transplantation.
- Living Beyond Breast Cancer: A free hybrid event for people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer prior to age 50. This series provides an opportunity to build connections and learn about menopause, sex after cancer, late and long-term effects of treatment, and self-care after cancer.
Impacting Survivorship Research
There are currently over 18 million cancer survivors in the United States, and this number is expected to grow to over 26 million by 2040 [American Cancer Society. Cancer Treatment & Survivorship Facts & Figures 2022-2024. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2022]. As cancer treatment evolves and survivors are living longer, there is a growing need for research specific to cancer survivorship. Research is designed to understand impacts of cancer and its treatment on cancer survivors. It also seeks to enhance the health and well-being of all cancer survivors and caregivers.
At the University of Minnesota, cancer survivorship research activities are led by an integrated research team that includes physicians, PhD researchers, RNs, and clinical research associates. This team has published multiple high impact studies that have informed survivorship guidelines and led to new initiatives and innovations nationally. To learn more about cancer survivorship research, please click here.
Caregiver Support
Caring for a loved one with cancer can impact every aspect of a caregiver's well-being. M Health Fairview has partnered with local non-profit The Negative Space to provide free tools and support so that caregivers can access the help they need and deserve every step of the way.