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More individuals are surviving cancer than ever before. The overall听five-year survival rate across all cancers听in the United States has reached an听historic听70%, translating to听nearly 19 million cancer survivors听nationwide,听including more than four million breast cancer survivors.鹿听听
To听help听breast cancer听survivors thrive long after completion of treatment for their disease, in 2020, AV研究所 and听NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital launched the Iris Cantor Breast Cancer Survivorship Program.听听
Identifying as a cancer 鈥渟urvivor鈥 can look different to different people.听Cancer survivorship is now a dedicated field of research and听clinical听care听and some definitions for cancer survivorship exist.听听
As noted by听the National Cancer Institute (NCI)听Office of Cancer Survivorship, a person is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life.虏听Cancer survivorship is听a state of being, including the perspectives, needs, health, and the physical, psychological, social, and economic challenges experienced by people and caregivers after a cancer diagnosis.鲁听听
Cancer survivorship听includes听standards for medical follow-up care,听monitoring mental and emotional wellbeing, managing long-term side effects, and beyond.听Whether鈥someone鈥feels听like a survivor on day one, on听their听last day听of treatment, or somewhere in between, cancer survivorship听helps听to听ensure that听people听dealing with cancer can听receive medical care and support throughout all stages of their life.听听
Cancer survivorship programs exist to ensure that no one faces the aftermath of听cancer听alone and that every patient has a roadmap for living well听and thriving, not just surviving.听Designed to support听all breast cancer听survivors,听including听men,听women, and nonbinary individuals,听of all ages,听as they transition from active听cancer听care听鈥撎such as听surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy听鈥撎to long-term survivorship care, the听Iris Cantor Breast听Cancer Survivorship Program听offers听services to help individuals听manage ongoing physical, emotional, and financial听side effects from breast cancer听and听its treatment.听听
The听program听also听provides听routine听surveillance for disease recurrence with referrals to annual mammogram and ultrasound screenings听and听breast听magnetic resonance imaging,听connection to genetics services if needed, and free resources such as nutrition counseling,听as well as monitoring for cardiovascular and metabolic health.听听
鈥淏reast cancer is听one of the most common cancers in the United States,鈥 said听Emily S. Tonorezos, MD, MPH,听Director of the Iris Cantor听Breast听Cancer Survivorship Program. 鈥淭he disease听and its treatment听can听have听a听profound听impact on every aspect of patients鈥 lives, including chronic pain and fatigue, premature menopause, lymphedema,听cardiovascular damage,听and听cognitive impairment, as well as persistent听fear听of recurrence,听financial hardship, challenges returning to work,听and changes in relationships.鈥听
Dr. Tonorezos鈥听deep commitment to听providing听evidence-based听survivorship care and clinical excellence听for patients with breast cancer is at the foundation of her practice.听Prior to joining AV研究所, Dr. Tonorezos served as Director of the Office of Cancer Survivorship at the听NCI, where she led survivorship-related research.听听
鈥淔or me, the clinical and research aspects of patient care are deeply intertwined. My patients are constantly teaching me about what it means to be a cancer survivor,鈥 said Dr. Tonorezos. 鈥淎t the same time, my research informs the听personalized听care I recommend to my patients. It鈥檚 a very rewarding way to practice medicine.鈥听
Dr. Tonorezos is听only听the second medical director to lead the Iris Cantor听Breast听Cancer Survivorship Program.听She succeeded听renowned听medical听oncologist听Anne Moore, MD, the听program鈥檚 founding director,听and Medical Director of the Weill Cornell Breast Center,听who retired in听December 2024.听听听
鈥淒r. Moore had been practicing at AV研究所 for听more than five decades听and many of the long-term breast cancer survivors in the Iris Cantor Breast Cancer Survivorship Program听are her former patients,鈥 said Dr. Tonorezos. 鈥Dr. Moore is a visionary in cancer survivorship.听She has entrusted me to lead this unique program because she understood what these individuals need throughout their survivorship trajectory and how they would be best served. I鈥檓 grateful to听her听for giving me this opportunity, and to all my patients and their family members for supporting me and my research for many years.鈥听
Participants in the听Iris Cantor Breast Cancer Survivorship Program are referred by their primary breast cancer physicians, with most referrals taking place about five years following a breast cancer diagnosis. In addition to medical care follow-up, survivors have access to several free wellness educational services, including:听
