Dr. Khuri Discusses Survivorship for Cancer Patients

Fadlo R. Khuri, MD, FACP, professor, chair, hematology/medical oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, deputy director, Winship Cancer Institute, discusses what oncology nurses should know about survivorship today, noting that the ability to impact survivorship in a positive way is significantly greater now than 5-10 years ago and that it is rare that a cancer patient has a life without complications.

Khuri says nurses are always at the frontline of care for patients, especially cancer patients. Taking care of a cancer patient is different than taking care of other patients because they need support for the plethora of complications that they may come across before, during, and after treatment.

Nurses are well positioned to listen to the patient, take detailed notes about the symptoms they’re having, ask them about their quality of life and ask them how their quality of life can be improved.