USC cancer survivorship: A multidisciplinary approach

As cancer studies and innovative treatments empower patients to live longer, professionals across USC’s health science faculties are guiding survivors from diagnosis through treatment and into their post-care lives. By means of cancer survivorship initiatives, interdisciplinary teams of USC specialists provide extensive support in areas beyond surgical and medicinal intervention, focusing on helping patients prosper, including mental health, nutritional advice, physical rehabilitation, stress relief, chronic pain management, and much more. Involved USC units and individuals comprise:

Keck Medicine of USC

USC Head and Neck Center’s patient support group forms a community for patients to exchange experiences and offer mutual support. The center also provides a thorough survivorship program, where clinicians from diverse fields collaborate to deliver essential services and assistance to cancer patients.

The clinical breast cancer survivorship program seeks to enhance the long-term mental and physical wellness of cancer survivors while assisting them in navigating financial and social challenges. The program includes multidisciplinary collaboration among clinicians to provide holistic oncology support and support groups for survivors and their caregivers.

Keck Medicine’s general Cancer Survivorship Program commenced in 2014, providing assistance to cancer survivors and their loved ones with information and tools aimed at enhancing and sustaining physical health, emotional adjustment, and comprehensive well-being. Offerings encompass personalized care plans, fertility preservation and restoration, nutrition and exercise support, mental health and wellness resources, along with other tools.

Keck School of Medicine of USC

Daphne Stewart, clinical professor at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Keck School of Medicine, along with her role as a medical oncologist with Keck Medicine, established a clinical breast cancer survivorship program in 2023 for patients who had completed their primary
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treatment, including chemotherapy, surgery, and reconstruction. Her team is comprised of a medical oncologist, a nurse practitioner with a focus on breast cancer, a social worker, and a nurse navigator.

USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy*

Oncology Physical Therapy: This program empowers cancer survivors to reclaim their lives through services that tackle fatigue, loss of mobility, rehabilitation before and after surgery, exercises to enhance daily living activities, stress reduction, and mood enhancement, among other aspects.

Golf and Cancer Survivorship: Researchers are investigating how physical activities like golfing can assist survivors of prostate cancer in maintaining a healthy quality of life post-treatment.

Post-Prostate Cancer Treatment: Physical therapists collaborate with men experiencing erectile dysfunction and incontinence following a prostatectomy, providing treatment that fortifies the pelvic floor.

USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy*

A National Institutes of Health-supported grant is examining whether a tailored self-management lifestyle initiative following a colorectal cancer diagnosis enables survivors to adopt and sustain behavioral health and lifestyle recommendations, including exercise, nutrition, and alcohol consumption. The study is still ongoing.

In partnership with Keck Hospital of USC and USC Norris Cancer Hospital, occupational therapists assist cancer patients in initiating the rehabilitation process as swiftly as possible to decrease hospital stay duration and the risk of hospital-acquired infections. Therapists also help patients design tailored care plans that incorporate their social support systems to enhance home safety by developing functional skills and preparing for a return to life outside the hospital.

The department provides the Lifestyle Redesign for Oncology program, which offers a customized plan to help patients establish healthy routines, including managing pain and energy levels; utilizing adaptive equipment for physical limitations; cultivating rest and relaxation habits for restorative sleep; and learning healthy nutritional practices, among other elements.

USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology

Undergraduates in Gerontology have opportunities to engage in research projects, including the Cancer Research Education and Engagement program, aimed at increasing the translational cancer workforce and reducing disparities in cancer health.

USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

USC social workers are vital participants in numerous cancer survivorship programs throughout Keck Medicine, the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Keck School of Medicine. These professionals assist survivors in navigating the vast array of resources offered by the health science schools and the healthcare system for treatment and recovery, including mental health support for cancer survivors and their caregivers, adherence to treatment plans, decision-making, insurance, housing, and transportation.

USC social workers engage in practice and research related to cancer services and issues such as treatment adherence, survivorship, caregiver concerns, and healthcare policy related to cancer.

USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Medication management: Patients depend on pharmacists to ensure they utilize their medications to the fullest potential, address queries, and help prevent and manage drug toxicities.

Oncology-trained pharmacists are integral in clinical trials, from patient enrollment to monitoring, ensuring patients receive treatment as per trial directives.

USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center

Patient advocate Mary Aalto directs the Patient Perspective Series, a year-round program of lunchtime events showcasing cancer survivors who are authors, artists, academics, and motivational speakers.

The multi-ethnic Breast Cancer Survivorship Program provides services catering to the needs of breast cancer survivors. The program also offers survivor education and conducts research, currently working on a new blood test to detect residual disease that may be missed by mammograms or other imaging methods.

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*Note: The USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy and the USC Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy are organizationally parts of the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC.