In recent years, the remarkable progress in cancer detection and treatment has transformed the prognosis for many patients, enabling a growing number of survivors to live well beyond their initial diagnosis. However, with increased survival rates comes a new set of challenges that extend far beyond cancer eradication. A groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Northwestern Medicine sheds light on the significant unmet needs among survivors of head-and-neck cancers, particularly those who received radiation therapy. This work emphasizes the critical gaps in survivorship care, especially in addressing mental health and long-term side effects, urging a paradigm shift in how follow-ups and supportive services are delivered.
Survivorship care, a comprehensive approach designed to support patients after their primary cancer treatment concludes, remains underutilized and under-recognized, even as the population of cancer survivors continues to rise. The Northwestern study surveyed over 300 individuals treated for head-and-neck cancers over the past decade, revealing that more than 70% reported their mental health needs went unaddressed during treatment. This troubling statistic underscores a systemic blind spot within oncology care, which often prioritizes tumor surveillance and physical recovery while overlooking psychosocial well-being.
Head-and-neck cancer patients frequently endure debilitating side effects, many of which persist long after radiation therapy ends. These include xerostomia (dry mouth), dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), altered taste perception, and ongoing dental problems, all of which compromise quality of life and complicate nutrition and social interaction. Astonishingly, 40% of survey respondents continued to suffer from dry mouth, and nearly 25% reported swallowing difficulties, illustrating the chronic burdens patients carry. Despite these challenges, less than a third of these survivors had sufficient information or access to survivorship care programs designed to address such long-term effects.
This gap in care is not merely about managing physical symptoms—it extends deeply into mental health. Approximately 15% of surveyed survivors screened positive for clinical depression, a condition often masked or dismissed in oncology settings. The resilience required to navigate the aftermath of cancer treatment is formidable, and psychological distress can exacerbate physical symptoms, impede recovery, and diminish overall well-being. The failure to integrate mental health services as a standard component of cancer follow-up care reveals a critical insufficiency in patient-centered oncology.
Traditional oncology follow-ups tend to focus narrowly on detecting cancer recurrence, but longer-living survivors necessitate a broader framework that encompasses chronic disease management, preventive health, and psychosocial support. The researchers at Northwestern advocate for adopting the Cancer Survivorship Framework—a multidisciplinary model addressing five essential domains: physical effects, psychosocial health, cancer screening, chronic disease management, and health promotion. This holistic approach aims to deliver personalized care that adapts to survivors’ evolving needs over time, and it has the potential to be applied widely across cancer types beyond head-and-neck malignancies.
Interestingly, the study also discovered that nearly half of surveyed patients preferred a survivorship care model involving one extended clinic visit every six to twelve months, as opposed to multiple shorter appointments. This preference highlights a need for coordinated, efficient care pathways that can comprehensively evaluate patients’ multifaceted needs in a single setting. Women and those recently completing treatment expressed stronger preferences for this model, suggesting that timing and demographic factors influence care delivery preferences which healthcare systems should carefully consider.
Addressing these complex needs requires assembling dedicated, multidisciplinary teams composed not only of oncologists but also dietitians, mental health counselors, social workers, and other specialists. This integrated model would empower patients with tailored interventions targeting both the physical and emotional challenges of cancer survivorship. Alexis Larson, the study’s lead author and a certified nurse practitioner at Northwestern Medicine, emphasizes that comprehensive survivorship care cannot be relegated to brief encounters but must be thoughtfully constructed to provide sustained and coordinated support.
The urgency of this need is underscored by demographic trends: in 2022, there were an estimated 18.1 million cancer survivors in the United States alone, accounting for roughly 5.4% of the population. Projections indicate this number will swell to 26 million by 2040 due to advances in therapeutic approaches and an aging society. This burgeoning survivor cohort demands scalable, systematic approaches to survivorship that ensure patients are not left isolated after treatment completion.
Taking these findings into practice, Northwestern Medicine is pioneering a dedicated survivorship clinic embedded within its Department of Radiation Oncology. Building on insights from the study, the clinic will incorporate all five domains of the Cancer Survivorship Framework and specifically focus on integrating mental health resources, including pilot testing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions. This targeted approach aims to mitigate psychological distress and help patients manage chronic pain, anxiety, and depression that frequently accompany post-radiation recovery.
Moreover, this initiative will complement existing survivorship programs available through the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center but distinguishes itself by delivering care within the very environment where patients received their initial treatment. Such proximity facilitates continuity, enhances communication between care teams and patients, and fosters more seamless coordination of services. It represents a strategic step toward patient-centered care innovations that resonate with survivors’ articulated needs.
Published in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer on April 30, 2025, the study titled “Survivorship Therapy Needs after Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Cancer: Surveying Opportunities for Growth (STRONG)” spotlights the profound importance of rethinking survivorship paradigms. Funded partly by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, this research offers a compelling call to action for clinicians, healthcare systems, and policymakers to prioritize comprehensive survivorship services that holistically address both the seen and unseen consequences of cancer treatment.
As oncology continuously evolves, it is imperative that survivorship care keeps pace, embracing the complex intersection of physical symptoms, mental health, and long-term wellness. By integrating multidisciplinary care models and embedding validated psychological interventions within survivorship programs, institutions like Northwestern Medicine are charting a path forward. This approach transcends head-and-neck cancer and offers an adaptable template for all cancer survivors, ensuring that the triumphs of extended survival are matched by improved quality of life.
History has shown that curing cancer is only half the battle—the true victory lies in supporting survivors to thrive beyond their diagnosis. Studies like STRONG underscore that survivorship care is not a luxury but a necessity, demanding renewed focus and resources as the cancer survivor population expands. It is time for oncology practices across the globe to heed these findings and foster a healthcare ecosystem equipped to heal the whole person, body and mind.
Subject of Research: Survivorship care needs and mental health support in head-and-neck cancer survivors post-radiotherapy.
Article Title: Survivorship Therapy needs after Radiotherapy for head and Neck cancer: surveying opportunities for Growth (STRONG)
News Publication Date: 30-Apr-2025
Web References:
- Journal article DOI: 10.1007/s00520-025-09429-2
- Cancer Survivorship Framework: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6855988/
References: Northwestern Medicine study conducted on 317 head and neck cancer survivors between 2013 and 2023; published in Supportive Care in Cancer, April 2025.
Keywords: Cancer, Radiation therapy, Cancer patients, Head and neck cancer, Cancer screening, Cancer policy
