Cancer survivorship: research priorities at the national and international levels

摘要

With an increasing number of people living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis, research addressing the needs of this population has consistently been identified as one of the key priorities for a global survivorship agenda. Within an international context, US, UK and Canada have been key players in priority setting activities, with the consistency across these nations lending support for a global survivorship research agenda. Priorities identified include: development of tools and instruments for use in survivorship research; development of effective care models and interventions; investigation of long-term effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment on patients, their families and caregivers; and needs and characteristics of unique or disadvantaged populations. An overview of the research being undertaken in Australia suggests a high level of congruency with international priorities, with a wide spectrum of research addressing issues across the whole survivorship continuum. However, support is needed for further work to progress our understanding of survivorship issues within an Australian context, particularly in the areas of unique populations, lifestyle factors and effective care models.