Refer to Cancer Australia’s Shared follow-up care for women with low-risk endometrial cancer: a guide for general practitioners.

Responsibility for follow-up care should be agreed between the lead clinician, the general practitioner, relevant members of the multidisciplinary team and the patient. This is based on guideline recommendations for post-treatment care, as well as the patient’s current and anticipated physical and emotional needs and preferences.

Evidence comparing shared follow-up care and specialised care indicates equivalence in outcomes including recurrence rate, cancer survival and quality of life (Cancer Research in Primary Care 2016).

Ongoing communication between healthcare providers involved in care and a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities is key to effective survivorship care.

In particular circumstances, other models of post-treatment care can be safely and effectively provided such as nurse-led models of care (Monterosso et al. 2019). Other models of post-treatment care can be provided in these locations or by these health professionals:

• in a shared care setting
• in a general practice setting
• by non-medical staff
• by allied health or nurses
• in a non-face-to-face setting (e.g. by telehealth).

A designated member of the team should document the agreed survivorship care plan. The survivorship care plan should support wellness and have a strong emphasis on healthy lifestyle changes such as a balanced diet, a non-sedentary lifestyle, weight management and a mix of aerobic and resistance exercise (COSA 2018; Hayes et al. 2019).

This survivorship care plan should also cover, but is not limited to:

• what medical follow-up is required (surveillance for recurrence or secondary and metachronous cancers, screening and assessment for medical and psychosocial effects)
• model of post-treatment care, the health professional providing care and where it will be delivered
• care plans from other health providers to manage the consequences of cancer and cancer treatment
• wellbeing, primary and secondary prevention health recommendations that align with chronic disease management principles
• rehabilitation recommendations
• available support services
• a process for rapid re-entry to specialist medical services for suspected recurrence.

Survivors generally need regular follow-up, often for five or more years after cancer treatment finishes. The survivorship care plan therefore may need to be updated to reflect changes in the patient’s clinical and psychosocial status and needs.

Processes for rapid re-entry to hospital care should be documented and communicated to the patient and relevant stakeholders.

Care in the post-treatment phase is driven by predicted risks (e.g. the risk of recurrence, developing late effects of treatment and psychological issues) as well as individual clinical and supportive care needs. It is important that post-treatment care is based on evidence and is consistent with guidelines. Not all women will require ongoing tests or clinical review and may be discharged to general practice follow-up.

Patient education about symptoms of recurrence is critical for optimal aftercare. More than 70 per cent of patients will have abnormal bleeding or pain as symptoms of recurrence and should contact their general practitioner early (Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre 2018).

Patients with a low risk of recurrence (5 per cent or less) have a suggested frequency of follow-up of:

• every three to six months for the initial one to two years after treatment, then
• every six to 12 months for the third year, before transitioning to
• annual reviews for the fourth and fifth year (Cancer Australia 2020c). Patients may be suitable for ongoing review with their general practitioner after three years.

Patients who have a higher risk of recurrence are generally seen more frequently and for at least five years.

Note that for some patients follow-up appointments are reassuring; however, for other patients they may be anxiety-inducing (Cancer Australia 2020c).

The lead clinician should discuss (and general practitioner reinforce) options for follow-up at the start and end of treatment.

General practitioners (including nurses) can:

• connect patients to local community services and programs
• manage long-term and late effects
• manage comorbidities
• provide wellbeing information and advice to promote self-management
• screen for cancer and non-cancerous conditions.

Templates and other resources to help with developing treatment summaries and survivorship care plans are available from these organisations:

• Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre
• Cancer Australia – Principles of Cancer Survivorship
• Cancer Council Australia and states and territories
• Clinical Oncology Society of Australia – Model of Survivorship Care
• eviQ – Cancer survivorship: introductory course
• MyCarePlan.org.au
• South Australian Cancer Service – Statewide Survivorship Framework resources
• American Society of Clinical Oncology – guidelines.