This special series on “Supportive Care After Breast Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities” dedicated to the 2024 Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) is co-edited by Drs. Muna Alkhaifi, Charles B. Simone II, Maryam Lustberg, Isabelle Choi, Henry Wong and Elwyn Zhang.

Muna Alkhaifi
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Charles B. Simone II
New York Proton Center, New York, NY, USA; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

Maryam Lustberg
Breast Cancer Center, Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, CT, USA

Isabelle Choi
Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

Henry Wong
Hospital Authority, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

Elwyn Zhang
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and a leading cause of cancer- related death. Breast cancer survivors face complex and varied complications as they move forward from their cancer, and a broad, holistic, and expert understanding of the breadth of survivorship is necessary in order to provide effective, high-quality care.

While disease-specific clinical guidelines are available and provide a valuable starting point, extensive translational efforts are required for integration to routine care. Only an improved understanding of current practice patterns among oncologists and providers can help inform the development of new and innovative models of care and best practices regarding clinical workflow. There remains a significant gap between our understanding of survivorship care and the reality of the care that we provide. This collection aims to assist the reader with coming to a comprehensive, empathetic, and up-to-date understanding of the key issues and new developments in breast cancer survivorship care, including new challenges and opportunities.

Improving the quality of survivorship care for the growing population of breast cancer survivors is a high priority. Disease-specific clinical guidelines are available and provide a valuable starting point, but will require extensive translational efforts to integrate into routine care. Improved understanding of current practice patterns among health care providers can help inform the development of innovative models of care and best practices regarding clinical workflow to ease the complexity of survivorship care delivery over long periods of time and across large patient populations.

This special journal issue will provide a comprehensive and updated overview of the current state of and future directions for breast cancer survivorship research and care. The issue will feature reviews, reports, and perspectives from leading experts in the field of breast cancer as well as survivors themselves. This issue aims to cover new developments, barriers, and insights into supportive and palliative care for survivors of breast cancer. It will span symptom management, advocacy, policy, collaboration between healthcare providers, and patient communication. It is our aim to help readers understand the complex and constantly-changing landscape of breast cancer survivorship care, as well as the current critical gap in the translation of guidelines to practice. 

Series outline:

1.  An Introduction to Supportive Care after Breast Cancer
2. Horizons in Breast Cancer Survivorship Care: How to Facilitate the Translation of Evidence into Clinical Practice
3. It Goes on: Sexual Health after Breast Cancer
4. Hair Loss: Alopecia Fears and Realities for Survivors of Breast Cancer
5. Cognitive Function: Updates to Treatment, The Need for More Evidence, and Impact on Quality of Life
6. Chronic Radiation-Induced Dermatitis: Prevention, Management, and Impact
7.  What We Want from Our Doctors: Living as a Breast Cancer Survivor
8. Living with Neuropathy after Cancer
9. Breast Cancer Related Arm Lymphedema: Surveillance and advancements in treatment
10. Breast Cancer Survivorship among Younger Patients: Challenges and Opportunities
11. Survivorship in the Face of Stigma: Male Survivors of Breast Cancer
12. Updates on the Preventions and Management of Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome: Beyond Medical Treatment
13. Is Cancer Back? Psychological Issues Facing Survivors of Breast Cancer
14. Integrative Medicine in Survivorship Care
15. Survivorship Care for Elderly Survivors: Unique Challenges

Disclosure:
The series “Supportive Care After Breast Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities” was commissioned by the editorial office, Annals of Palliative Medicine without any sponsorship or funding. Muna Alkhaifi, Charles B. Simone II, Maryam Lustberg, Isabelle Choi, Henry Wong and Elwyn Zhang are serving as unpaid Guest Editors for the series.