ASCO has recently developed treatment plans and summaries for breast and colon cancers for oncologists (doctors who specialize in treating cancer) and their patients. The ASCO Cancer Treatment Plan and Summary is a brief record of a patient's adjuvant cancer treatment (treatment after surgery), while the ASCO Survivorship Care Plan helps patients and their doctors develop a customized follow-up care plan once the treatment is nearing completion. To learn more about these tools and how they can help people with cancer, Cancer.Net talked with Patricia Ganz, MD.

Q: Why did ASCO develop the cancer treatment plans and summaries?

A: For some time, ASCO leaders involved in evaluating quality of care for people with cancer were concerned about the poor reporting in medical charts of the cancer treatments that were planned and prescribed for patients (usually chemotherapy treatment regimen and doses). Sometimes, it is hard to know if patients are receiving the right treatments if there is not a note easily found in the medical record. A treatment plan is designed to specifically state the type of cancer and the planned treatment course. Also, patient advocates have told us that they would like to have a written treatment plan that is given to patients just as treatment is starting. Often, this information is transmitted verbally, but once the patient and their family leave the room, they may forget the specific details.

The treatment summary has been largely motivated by quality of care issues as well as the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report, "From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition," which recognized the need for a treatment summary that would document the treatments actually received, any complications of treatment, any expected late effects (a side effect of cancer treatment that occur more than five years after diagnosis), or long-term problems that may start during treatment and be slow to disappear. In addition, the need for recommendations for future follow-up care was deemed essential, since patients and primary care providers have identified the lack of a treatment summary as a major barrier to high-quality follow-up care.

Q: How should doctors and patients use the ASCO treatment plans and summaries?

A: The treatment plans and summaries should be placed in the medical chart so that health-care professionals who subsequently see the patient will have a good summary of all treatments given so far. In addition, this summary should be given to the patient along with a verbal explanation of what is in it and how the patient should be followed in the future. The summary should also be given to other members of the patient's health-care team.

Q: How do the ASCO treatment plans and summaries help patients receive better care?

A: By documenting what type and stage of cancer the patient had, the kind of treatment received, the expected follow-up care required to detect cancer recurrence (return of the cancer), and the important prevention strategies for late effects or other potential health problems, everyone involved with the patient should know what the cancer diagnosis and treatment were. Often, medical care is so fragmented that there is poor communication among physicians and health-care systems. The treatment summary is one strategy to simplify the communication of complex information. It is also empowering for patients to receive this information in a written form since they can share it with those who may need to know their medical history.

Q: What is ASCO doing to promote the use of the treatment plans and summaries by doctors?

A: ASCO is disseminating templates (example treatment plans and summaries) to make it easier for oncologists to complete these at the end of treatment. We also have been working with the developers of electronic health records for oncology practices and encouraging them to implement these as part of the electronic record.

Q: So far, there are treatment plans and summaries available for breast and colon cancers. What plans are there to expand these to other types of cancer?

A: We have one for cancer (in general) that will soon be available, and we are developing one specific for lung cancer. (Editor's Note: The general form became available in March 2008 and can be found below.)

Dr. Ganz is Professor, UCLA Schools of Medicine and Public Health, and Director of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. She also chairs the ASCO Quality of Care Committee.

ASCO Treatment Plans and Summaries

Cancer Adjuvant Treatment Plan and Summary (General Form)

Breast Cancer Adjuvant Treatment Plan and Summary

Breast Cancer Survivorship Care Plan

Colon Cancer Adjuvant Treatment Plan and Summary

Colon Cancer Survivorship Care Plan

Additional Resources

Read the executive summary of the IOM report: From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition and watch the award-winning video from this report.

Lance Armstrong Foundation: Important Records Survivors Should Keep

Lance Armstrong Foundation: How to Organize Important Records

More Information

Managing Your Care

Survivorship

Last Updated: October 29, 2007