Nearly All Cancer Survivors Return to Primary Care
Laura C. Pinheiro, Mangala Rajan, Monika M. Safford, David M. Nanus, Lisa M. Kern
Abstract
BACKGROUND: During cancer treatments, patients often defer primary care and comorbidity management, which may not be optimal for overall health when patients transition into survivorship. We sought to quantify primary care utilization among cancer survivors who are ≥2 years post cancer treatments. METHODS: 951 cancer survivors were included in this national, prospective cohort study using the Regional Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) data. RESULTS: Nearly all (91.6%) cancer survivors had at least 1 annual PCP visit and most (54.6%) had a PCP as their dominant provider. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the urgent need for smooth handoffs from oncology back to primary care.