“Navigating Cancer Survivorship

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] Brad Power April 25, 2025 “Nobody knows what it's like to hear the word ‘cancer’ or go through treatment unless you've been there. I've been there. Most times in life, you feel bad, you go to the doctor, they do something to make you feel better.

For cancer, the treatment we get makes us feel worse than when the whole thing started.” – Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD “Survivorship has changed. We now have folks who are going to be on treatment for the rest of their life.

Sometimes they feel like they don't fit in this paradigm that we have, but they're still dealing with a lot of the issues – these issues are not dealt with enough in our clinics and for our stage 4 patients.” – Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD “Cancer-free doesn't mean healthy.” – Caroline Knudsen “My job is to load the boat with everything possible to help you without sinking the boat.

Meaning: there's a lot of misinformation on the Internet. There's always somebody trying to sell you something. You face all your family and friends saying, ‘Well, I read this. You should do that.’ We have to make sure we're not interfering with the treatment that you have.

” – Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD Meeting Summary Cancer patients and caregivers face the often-overlooked challenges that survivors face, from lingering treatment side effects to emotional and lifestyle adjustments. In most cases, patients feel abandoned once active cancer treatment ends and lack guidance in their post-treatment journey.

Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD, and Caroline Knudsen are uniquely qualified to talk about the challenges of cancer survivorship. Dr. Bailey-Dorton is the Co-Founder and Medical Director of The After Cancer. She's a 22-year breast cancer survivor, and has a background as a family practitioner and completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine.

She led the Integrative Oncology Department at Levine Cancer Institute (in Charlotte, North Carolina) for over a decade. She currently guides The After Cancer's clinical approach and is the Director of Survivorship at First Health in Pinehurst, NC. Caroline Knudsen is the Co-Founder and COO of The After Cancer. Why do you need to pay attention to cancer survivorship?

Cancer patients and their loved ones face numerous challenges after treatment that are often overlooked. These include physical side effects like neuropathy and fatigue, psychological challenges such as fear of recurrence, and emotional struggles like feeling isolated or losing trust in one's body. Cancer-free doesn't mean healthy.

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] cope with the long-term impacts of cancer treatment. Paying attention to survivorship helps

s need ongoing support to manage symptoms, address mental health, navigate life changes, and develop strategies to

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] cope with the long-term impacts of cancer treatment. Paying attention to survivorship helps patients and their loved ones regain a sense of control, improve quality of life, and effectively manage the ongoing "elephant in the room" of cancer in their lives.

What are the main issues that cancer patients and their loved ones struggle with post- treatment? ●Fear of recurrence : the "elephant in the room" that never completely goes away.

●Physical side effects : neuropathy, fatigue, and changes in body function that persist after treatment ●Emotional and psychological : feeling isolated and lonely, loss of trust in your body, anxiety between medical scans, processing the trauma ●Relationships: changes in relations with partners, family, and friends, and difficulties in communicating about your experience.

●Lack of ongoing support : feeling abandoned after intensive treatment ends, with reduced medical team contact and limited resources for continued care What knowledge and tools can help you navigate cancer survivorship with confidence?

●Curated, expert-reviewed information sources ●AI that is transparent (including sources, confidence, and limitations) to help filter and contextualize information ●Healthcare professionals and credible experts ●Peer support, group sessions with professionals, one-on-one chats ●Managing automatic negative thoughts What are practical strategies to engage with cancer survivorship?

●Join groups that encourage discussion of practical coping strategies, empowerment, and problem-solving ●Involve your partners, as they may be more willing to attend and can help encourage participation ●Try journaling and gratitude practices ●Find safe spaces to discuss sensitive topics like sexual side effects or emotional challenges without feeling vulnerable How can you learn more about supporting cancer survivorship?

●Find support groups focused on cancer survivors' experiences and specializing in cancer survivorship support ●Review related Cancer Patient Lab discussions: ○“Healing the Cancer Journey: Tools for Emotional Wellness” (Savio P.

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] ○“Navigating Relational Health Through the Challenges of Cancer” (Jason Binder) [#127] ○“More than 60% of the Cancer Journey Happens at Home; Why No Comprehensive Support?” (Katie Quintas) [#115] ○“Palliative and Psychosocial Services for Cancer Patients” (James Tulsky) [#85] ●Go to The After Cancer website , explore their services, and see how they might fit in providing services to meet your needs.

Cancer Journey Happens at Home; Why No Comprehensive Support?” (Katie Quintas) [#115] ○“Palliative and Psychosocial Services for Cancer Patients” (James Tulsky) [#85] ●Go to The After Cancer website , explore their services, and see how they might fit in providing services to meet your needs.

The information and opinions expressed on this website or platform, or during discussions and presentations (both verbal and written) are not intended as health care recommendations or medical advice by Cancer Patient Lab, its principals, presenters, participants, or representatives for any medical treatment, product, or course of action.

You should always consult a doctor about your specific situation before pursuing any health care program, treatment, product or other course of action that might affect your health. For the video recording of this conversation, please see here.

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] Meeting Notes KEYWORDS Cancer survivorship, integrative oncology, fear of recurrence, patient support, integrative medicine, emotional adjustments, treatment side effects, non-profit organization, evidence- based therapies, virtual survivorship programs, patient isolation, scan anxiety, peer support, complementary therapies, healthcare system.

SPEAKERS Rick Davis (30%), Chasse Bailey-Dorton (26%), Caroline Knudsen (17%), David Wheeler (12%), Raj Aji (5%), Alen Amini (5%), David Plunkett (3%), Brad Power (2%) SUMMARY The discussion focused on the challenges of cancer survivorship, emphasizing the emotional and physical impacts beyond treatment. Dr.

Bailey-Dorton and Caroline Knudsen from The After Cancer highlighted their platform's role in providing personalized support, educational resources, and group sessions to address survivorship needs. They shared a six-week study showing reduced symptoms and depression, and increased normalcy.

The conversation also touched on the importance of integrative oncology, the challenges of misinformation, and strategies to engage men in support groups. The After Cancer team expressed interest in collaborating with peer support groups to enhance patient care.

OUTLINE Introductions, Challenges of Cancer Survivorship ●There are overlooked emotional and physical challenges faced by patients and caregivers, including treatment side effects, fear of recurrence, the impact of treatment on daily life, and emotional adjustments. ●Dr. Bailey-Dorton and Caroline Knudsen are experts on cancer survivorship.

●The concept of an "iceberg" illustrates the visible and invisible challenges survivors face. ●Integrative oncology is presented as a comprehensive approach to address physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of cancer treatment. ●Addressing survivorship issues is required to minimize side effects, maximize recovery, and decrease the risk of recurrence.

ace. ●Integrative oncology is presented as a comprehensive approach to address physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of cancer treatment. ●Addressing survivorship issues is required to minimize side effects, maximize recovery, and decrease the risk of recurrence. The After Cancer ●The After Cancer was born to focus on the gap in support for cancer survivors.

●The organization aims to provide evidence-based answers to day-to-day questions and address issues like fear of recurrence, loneliness, and relationship changes. ●The After Cancer platform offers virtual survivorship programs, personalized support, educational resources, group sessions, and one-on-one chats.

●A six-week study measuring the impact of The After Cancer program is presented, showing reduced symptoms, decreased depression, and increased normalcy.

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] ●The After Cancer program has a subscription model which is also accessible through sponsorships and insurance. ●AI is having a big impact on getting and interpreting information. Navigating online information can be challenging, and ensuring that information is evidence-based.

●Patients and their loved ones have concerns about misinformation and a dose of skepticism is needed in navigating online resources. Support for Caregivers and Families ●The After Cancer platform offers expert-led resources to help survivors navigate the evolving dynamics of relationships with family members and caregivers.

Our focus is on supporting survivors through guidance from professionals in family therapy and relationship coaching. Please note that we do not currently provide services or support specifically for caregivers or family members. Engaging Men in Support Programs ●The "Men Speaking Freely" group avoids the term "emotional" to attract more male participants.

●Journaling and keeping short notes can track treatment experiences and manage anxiety. ●The use of gratitude journals can help survivors focus on positive aspects of their lives. ●Ongoing support is needed for dealing with scan anxiety and recurring cancer. ●There are strategies for managing automatic negative thoughts and the importance of resiliency and cognitive restructuring.

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] TRANSCRIPT Alen Amini We're really excited for the discussion that we'll have today, as I'm sure it's no secret to all of you, both patients and caregivers face often overlooked challenges, from treatment side effects, emotional lifestyle adjustments, and oftentimes, what that ends up doing for patients and their loved ones is invoking a feeling of abandonment.

So we're very excited to have Dr. Bailey- Dorton and Caroline Knudsen here today who are uniquely qualified to talk about the challenges of cancer survivorship. Dr. Bailey-Dorton is the co-founder and medical director of The After Cancer.

nd their loved ones is invoking a feeling of abandonment. So we're very excited to have Dr. Bailey- Dorton and Caroline Knudsen here today who are uniquely qualified to talk about the challenges of cancer survivorship. Dr. Bailey-Dorton is the co-founder and medical director of The After Cancer.

She's a 22 year breast cancer survivor and has a background as a family practitioner and completed a fellowship in integrative medicine. She led the integrative oncology department at Levine Cancer Institute for over a decade, and she currently guides The After Cancer’s clinical approach, and is the director of survivorship at First Health in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Caroline Knudsen Is the co-founder and COO of The After Cancer. So we're very excited to welcome them. Brad Power 1:16 This conversation is for information purposes only. This is not medical advice. We are a non-profit, 501(c)(3), and we depend on the kindness of people making donations. So if you're so inspired to make a donation, we would greatly appreciate it.

It's easy to do if you go to our website and click on the Donate button. Chasse Bailey-Dorton 1:58 Nobody knows what it's like to hear the word “cancer” or go through treatment unless you've been there. I've been there.

“Navigating Cancer Survivorship" (Caroline Knudsen and Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD) [#140] something to make you feel better. For cancer, the treatment we get makes us feel worse than when the whole thing started. We're always wanting to know, “What can I do? Is there anything I can do to decrease the side effects? Is there anything I can do to help my body fight this?

” As scary as it was at diagnosis, it's even worse when we get towards the end of treatment, the thoughts are: “I didn't know I had this.” “Is it going to come back?” “Why did my body fail me?” “Will I know if it comes back?” “Can I do anything to keep it from coming back?” I went through those things myself, and that's what led me to an integrative medicine fellowship.

When I meet with patients now, I tell them, “My job is to load the boat with everything possible to help you without sinking the boat.” Meaning: there's a lot of misinformation on the internet. There's always somebody trying to sell us something. They face all their family and friends saying, “Well, I read this. You should do that.

” We have to make sure we're not interfering with the treatment that they have. We want to put that plan together. Chasse Bailey-Dorton 3:59 This is something we modified that I found on the internet. This talks about this iceberg. We get to the end of treatment, and what people say is, “Oh, your hair is growing back. You're able to go back to work. You're back to normal. You're so strong.

Aren't you great?