Current status of and future perspectives on care for cancer survivors in China

Abstract

Cancer is currently a major public health issue faced by countries around the world. With the progress of medical science and technology, the survival rate of cancer patients has increased significantly and the survival time has been effectively prolonged. How to provide quality and efficient care for the increasingly large group of cancer survivors with limited medical resources will be a key concern in the field of global public health in the future. Compared to developed countries, China's theoretical research and practical experience in care for cancer survivors are relatively limited and cannot meet the multi-faceted and diverse care needs of cancer patients. Based on the existing models of care worldwide, the current work reviews care for cancer survivors in China, it proposes considerations and suggestions for the creation of models of cancer care with Chinese characteristics in terms of optimizing top-level system design, enhancing institutional mechanisms, accelerating human resource development, and enhancing self-management and social support for patients.