Cancer Center Survivorship Research Forum

ABSTRACT The goal of this proposed biennial survivorship symposium series is to improve cancer outcomes by creating a regular forum for researchers, clinicians, and survivors to share cutting-edge research and foster new collaborations, research, programs, and policies. One of the defining features of cancer survivorship care — at the same time a strength and a challenge — is its multidimensional nature. The needs of cancer survivors are complex, spanning both oncologic and other physical concerns (e.g., cardiovascular treatment sequelae), psychosocial concerns, and practical concerns (e.g., financial burdenfrom medical expenses that affect the whole family). Addressing these concerns and focusing on the best ways to deliver cancer survivorship care requires close and careful collaboration between experts from multiple fields. The discontinuation of the Biennial Cancer Survivorship Research conferences in 2016 left a gap in cancer survivorship care. The proposed biennial symposium will fill this gap by facilitating knowledge exchange and sustained collaborations and networking among researchers and clinicians from multiple disciplines, with additional input from patient perspectives, and by identifying and formulating future directions of survivorship research with a focus on equitable healthcare delivery. The first conference, held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, was hosted by the University of Minnesota in April 2021 and was well attended. The second conference is planned for September of 2023 at Stanford University. With the title of “Implementing Equitable Survivorship Care Across the Life Span”, we aim to bring pertinent and cutting-edge research topics in the field of cancer survivorship to a global community of diverse stakeholders. Topics will include the circle of survivorship care in standardization, risk stratification, and implementation; implementing precision risk-stratified survivorship care; priorities for survivorship research: global solutions to common challenges; and translating innovation into clinical practice with a focus on diverse patient populations across academic and community practices. Conference Plan