See validated screening tools mentioned in Principle 4 ‘Supportive care’. Additionally, the ‘Cancer Survivors Unmet Needs (CaSun)’ is another validated screening tool that may help health professionals to identify the unmet needs of patients during survivorship.

A number of specific challenges and needs may arise for cancer survivors:

• nutritional assessment and support (including post-surgical enzyme support therapy)
• malnutritional post-treatment side effects (such as weight loss, reduced oral intake); this requires monitoring and nutrition intervention where indicated – validated malnutrition screening tools (such as MST) should be used at the key points in the care pathway to identify patients at risk of malnutrition (Loeliger & Dewar 2019)
• decline in mobility and/or functional status as a result of treatment
• a need for increased community supports as patients recover from treatment
• financial and employment issues (such as loss of income and assistance with returning to work, and the cost of treatment, travel and accommodation)
• appointing a substitute decision-maker and completing an advance care directive
• legal issues such as completing a will.

For more information on supportive care and needs that may arise for different population groups, see Appendices A and B, and special population groups.