Survivorship

Massey's Survivorship Program is centered on helping those with cancer thrive throughout and beyond cancer treatment. The program utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to survivorship care that incorporates clinical care, patient education and research activities related to all aspects of cancer care. With more than a decade of experience caring for the complex needs of cancer survivors, our team is committed to providing comprehensive, holistic, patient-centered care that is aimed at ensuring the best possible quality of life for all who have or have had cancer. From the moment of your diagnosis, we can ensure you receive the care and resources you need to continue living a full life during and after your cancer treatment.

The Survivorship Clinic is conveniently located in the Adult Outpatient Pavilion on the MCV Campus and Stony Point Breast Health and Imaging Clinic.

Patient-centered care

Susan Hong, M.D., M.P.H., FACP, discusses cancer survivorship and how Massey's program strives to enhance access and improve the long-term outcomes.

Overview
Led by Susan Hong, M.D., M.P.H, a board-certified internist with more than a decade of experience caring for the complex needs of cancer survivors, the Massey Survivorship Program focuses on comprehensive care coordination that empowers patients. All adult patients with cancer, regardless of stage, where they are in their cancer treatment plan or where they receive their cancer care, are eligible to be seen at Massey's Survivorship Clinic.

Since every patient is unique, we conduct an in-depth evaluation to address every aspect of your healthcare needs. The care we provide is coordinated with your cancer specialists and primary care provider. Elements of the care we provide include:
- Surveillance for cancer recurrence and new primary cancers
- Evaluation and management of treatment-related toxicities
- The assessment for genetic testing and ongoing surveillance for individuals with a hereditary cancer syndrome
- Counseling on cancer prevention and risk-reduction strategies
- Ensuring you are up to date with your other preventative health needs
In addition, if you are experiencing any negative social, financial or emotional impacts from your cancer diagnosis or treatment, we will connect you with Massey’s expansive list of cancer support services.

Choose Massey’s Survivorship Program because our care is:

Cutting-edge

Bringing more than a decade of experience to survivorship care, our doctors have unparalleled knowledge and expertise in managing the many aspects of cancer treatment and survivorship care. Our clinic incorporates clinical, educational and research activities to ensure that you are receiving the most relevant and cutting-edge care.

Comprehensive

With a goal of providing comprehensive, holistic, patient-centered care aimed at ensuring the best possible quality of life, survivorship care is available across the cancer care continuum, from the time of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. Our integrative approach ensures that all resources are made available to you

Collaborative

Cancer care requires multiple forms of therapy and various specialized doctors who work as a team to treat the patient. Massey pioneered the region’s multidisciplinary approach where specialists from numerous medical backgrounds collaborate in teams to coordinate all aspects of patient care at every stage. This approach ensures patients will receive the ideal combination and sequence of treatment. Massey’s survivorship team collaborates with our oncology specialists to integrate survivorship care into cancer care. This ensures a holistic and comprehensive approach to cancer care.

Compassionate

Through respectful, attentive and compassionate care, Massey’s survivorship team builds healing relationships with patients that help reduce suffering from cancer. We recognize that each patient’s medical, social, emotional and personal needs are unique, which is why we can help connect you with resources such as social workers, psychologists, legal and financial assistance, support groups, educational workshops and more.

Customized

Recognizing that every patient is unique and every cancer different, Massey provides survivorship care tailored to the needs of each patient and their families.
Services
During your visit, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive medical evaluation, including an evaluation of your supportive care needs. This includes working with your primary care provider and cancer specialists so that all aspects of your health needs are being addressed (if you don’t have a primary care provider, we’ll connect you with one at VCU Health System). This process will include screening you for other health effects resulting from your cancer diagnosis and/or cancer treatments. Your first visit will also give us the opportunity to screen you to determine if you are eligible for genetic testing with VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center's Familial Cancer Clinic.

We will also connect you with Massey and VCU Health's extensive list of cancer supportive services.
Additional resources include:
Research
Research in cancer survivorship is one very important way to improve the health and well-being of all cancer survivors. By partnering with survivors in research, we can contribute to the wider scientific knowledge about important topics. The research mission of the VCU Massey Cancer Survivorship Program seeks to understand the issues that are most relevant to cancer survivors, in order to advance care for all. Participation in research is always voluntary, and whether or not you choose to participate in research, your care will never be affected.

The research we conduct falls into three broad categories:

Treatment

The goal of treatment studies is to test potential solutions for problems that have been identified in cancer survivors, such as chemotherapy side effects, fear of cancer recurrence, managing chronic pain, or managing co-morbid health conditions.
- Pharmacological: Pharmacological treatment studies test medications that might help with common issues in survivorship such as pain or sleep disturbance.
- Psychological/Behavioral: Psychological and behavioral treatment studies test programs that might help to change your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to better cope with common issues in survivorship such as depression, medication adherence, or navigating cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Observational

The goal of observational studies is to learn more about how cancer and cancer treatments impact the health and well-being of cancer patients and their families. Participants in these types of studies may be asked to complete activities such as blood draws, testing in clinic, or radiologic testing, in addition to their usual care. As with any study, participation is completely voluntary and whether or not one chooses to participate will have no impact on the care received at Massey.

Survey

Survey studies ask participants to fill out questionnaires either online or by using pen and paper. They may take place once or be repeated over time. These studies are generally designed to gain a better understanding of the physical, emotional, psychological, or social impacts of cancer and cancer treatments.

As we develop new research studies, they will be described on this page. Your doctor may refer you to a study, or you may see advertisements for them in clinic.
FAQ's

A common misconception of survivorship is that it refers to the period of time after the completion of active cancer treatment. According to the National Cancer Institute, an individual is considered a cancer survivor “from the time of diagnosis, through the balance of their life.” This doesn’t just include the cancer patient; family members, friends and caregivers are also greatly impacted by the survivorship experience, and are therefore included in the survivorship process. It is never too early to begin your survivorship care.

If you have ever received a cancer diagnosis, you are able to receive survivorship care. Whether you are recently diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, on active maintenance therapy or have completed your treatment, you are eligible for survivorship care.

More and more people live long and productive lives after a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Massey’s survivorship care is designed to ensure the best possible quality of life for all. From the moment of your diagnosis, we can connect you with the clinical care and resources you need to continue living a full life during and after your cancer care.

The Massey Survivorship Clinic offers a large array of services ranging from management of cancer and treatment-related side effects to referrals to VCU Health and community resources and support groups

Yes. The survivorship clinic is open to all patients, regardless of whether they are a patient with VCU Health or not. Referrals made at the survivorship clinic will be for providers in the VCU Health network.

The Survivorship clinic is conveniently located at the Adult Outpatient Pavilion on the MCV Campus and Stony Point Breast Health and Imaging Clinic. Please call (804) 828-7999 to schedule a new patient appointment.
Resources
This tab contains a list of additional survivorship information and resources for patients and families.

Led by Susan Hong, M.D., M.P.H, a board-certified internist with more than a decade of experience caring for the complex needs of cancer survivors, the Massey Survivorship Program focuses on comprehensive care coordination that empowers patients. All adult patients with cancer, regardless of stage, where they are in their cancer treatment plan or where they receive their cancer care, are eligible to be seen at Massey's Survivorship Clinic.

Since every patient is unique, we conduct an in-depth evaluation to address every aspect of your healthcare needs. The care we provide is coordinated with your cancer specialists and primary care provider. Elements of the care we provide include:

Surveillance for cancer recurrence and new primary cancers
Evaluation and management of treatment-related toxicities
The assessment for genetic testing and ongoing surveillance for individuals with a hereditary cancer syndrome
Counseling on cancer prevention and risk-reduction strategies
Ensuring you are up to date with your other preventative health needs

In addition, if you are experiencing any negative social, financial or emotional impacts from your cancer diagnosis or treatment, we will connect you with Massey’s expansive list of cancer support services.

Choose Massey’s Survivorship Program because our care is:

Cutting-edge

Bringing more than a decade of experience to survivorship care, our doctors have unparalleled knowledge and expertise in managing the many aspects of cancer treatment and survivorship care. Our clinic incorporates clinical, educational and research activities to ensure that you are receiving the most relevant and cutting-edge care.

Comprehensive

With a goal of providing comprehensive, holistic, patient-centered care aimed at ensuring the best possible quality of life, survivorship care is available across the cancer care continuum, from the time of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. Our integrative approach ensures that all resources are made available to you

Collaborative

Cancer care requires multiple forms of therapy and various specialized doctors who work as a team to treat the patient. Massey pioneered the region’s multidisciplinary approach where specialists from numerous medical backgrounds collaborate in teams to coordinate all aspects of patient care at every stage. This approach ensures patients will receive the ideal combination and sequence of treatment. Massey’s survivorship team collaborates with our oncology specialists to integrate survivorship care into cancer care. This ensures a holistic and comprehensive approach to cancer care.

Compassionate

Through respectful, attentive and compassionate care, Massey’s survivorship team builds healing relationships with patients that help reduce suffering from cancer. We recognize that each patient’s medical, social, emotional and personal needs are unique, which is why we can help connect you with resources such as social workers, psychologists, legal and financial assistance, support groups, educational workshops and more.

Customized

Recognizing that every patient is unique and every cancer different, Massey provides survivorship care tailored to the needs of each patient and their families.

During your visit, we’ll provide you with a comprehensive medical evaluation, including an evaluation of your supportive care needs. This includes working with your primary care provider and cancer specialists so that all aspects of your health needs are being addressed (if you don’t have a primary care provider, we’ll connect you with one at VCU Health System). This process will include screening you for other health effects resulting from your cancer diagnosis and/or cancer treatments. Your first visit will also give us the opportunity to screen you to determine if you are eligible for genetic testing with VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center's Familial Cancer Clinic.

We will also connect you with Massey and VCU Health's extensive list of cancer supportive services.

Supportive care and Palliative Care Program
Cardio-oncology Program
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program
Genetic counseling
Oncology social workers
Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy services
Dietician services
Integrative Health Program
Tobacco cessation program
Reproductive medicine
Childhood cancer survivorship (Children's Hospital of Richmond)

Additional resources include:

VCU Health Medical Release Form
NCI Office of Cancer Survivorship
American Cancer Society
American Society of Clinical Oncology

Research in cancer survivorship is one very important way to improve the health and well-being of all cancer survivors. By partnering with survivors in research, we can contribute to the wider scientific knowledge about important topics. The research mission of the VCU Massey Cancer Survivorship Program seeks to understand the issues that are most relevant to cancer survivors, in order to advance care for all. Participation in research is always voluntary, and whether or not you choose to participate in research, your care will never be affected.

The research we conduct falls into three broad categories:

Treatment

The goal of treatment studies is to test potential solutions for problems that have been identified in cancer survivors, such as chemotherapy side effects, fear of cancer recurrence, managing chronic pain, or managing co-morbid health conditions.

Pharmacological: Pharmacological treatment studies test medications that might help with common issues in survivorship such as pain or sleep disturbance.
Psychological/Behavioral: Psychological and behavioral treatment studies test programs that might help to change your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to better cope with common issues in survivorship such as depression, medication adherence, or navigating cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Observational

The goal of observational studies is to learn more about how cancer and cancer treatments impact the health and well-being of cancer patients and their families. Participants in these types of studies may be asked to complete activities such as blood draws, testing in clinic, or radiologic testing, in addition to their usual care. As with any study, participation is completely voluntary and whether or not one chooses to participate will have no impact on the care received at Massey.

Survey

Survey studies ask participants to fill out questionnaires either online or by using pen and paper. They may take place once or be repeated over time. These studies are generally designed to gain a better understanding of the physical, emotional, psychological, or social impacts of cancer and cancer treatments.

As we develop new research studies, they will be described on this page. Your doctor may refer you to a study, or you may see advertisements for them in clinic.

A common misconception of survivorship is that it refers to the period of time after the completion of active cancer treatment. According to the National Cancer Institute, an individual is considered a cancer survivor “from the time of diagnosis, through the balance of their life.” This doesn’t just include the cancer patient; family members, friends and caregivers are also greatly impacted by the survivorship experience, and are therefore included in the survivorship process. It is never too early to begin your survivorship care.

If you have ever received a cancer diagnosis, you are able to receive survivorship care. Whether you are recently diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, on active maintenance therapy or have completed your treatment, you are eligible for survivorship care.

More and more people live long and productive lives after a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Massey’s survivorship care is designed to ensure the best possible quality of life for all. From the moment of your diagnosis, we can connect you with the clinical care and resources you need to continue living a full life during and after your cancer care.

The Massey Survivorship Clinic offers a large array of services ranging from management of cancer and treatment-related side effects to referrals to VCU Health and community resources and support groups

Yes. The survivorship clinic is open to all patients, regardless of whether they are a patient with VCU Health or not. Referrals made at the survivorship clinic will be for providers in the VCU Health network.

The Survivorship clinic is conveniently located at the Adult Outpatient Pavilion on the MCV Campus and Stony Point Breast Health and Imaging Clinic. Please call (804) 828-7999 to schedule a new patient appointment.

This tab contains a list of additional survivorship information and resources for patients and families.

https://www.cancercare.org/
https://oncolife.oncolink.org/
https://chemocare.com/
https://www.nccn.org/
https://www.jax.org/education-and-learning/clinical-and-continuing-education/clinical-topics/cancer-resources/cancer-risk-assessment