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Survivorship

Cancer can change your life in unexpected ways. You may need to understand side effects, take part in physical therapy, or seek additional support to manage the emotional impact cancer has had on your life.

Recovery takes time and you do not have to experience it alone. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is here to help you thrive after cancer treatment and to provide continuing recovery and follow-up support for years to come.

      Fred Hutch offers screenings, prevention recommendations and help with after effects of your cancer and treatment.

      We encourage you to participate in one of our follow-up programs for cancer survivors. While your cancer may be cured, there may be long-term effects from it or its treatment. As a survivor, you are at higher risk for a secondary cancer; Fred Hutch can help you manage that risk.

      Survivorship Clinic

      The Fred Hutch Survivorship Clinic offers treatment, support, and education after cancer treatment is complete for adults.

      Regardless of whether you were treated for cancer at Fred Hutch or at another medical facility, you can meet with our providers and receive a Survivorship Care Plan, which contains resources and support information particular to your needs.

      Secondary cancer A cancer that has spread (metastasized) from the place where it first started to another part of the body. Secondary cancers are the same type of cancer as the original (primary) cancer. A term used to describe cancer that has spread (metastasized) from the place where it first started to another part of the body. Secondary cancers are the same type of cancer as the original (primary) cancer. For example, cancer cells may spread from the breast (primary cancer) to form new tumors in the lung (secondary cancer). The cancer cells in the lung are just like the ones in the breast. Also called secondary tumor.

      Long-Term Follow-Up

      The Fred Hutch Long-Term Follow-up Program provides life-long monitoring and care for people who have had a bone marrow, stem cell transplant or cellular immunotherapy. 

      Bone marrow The soft, spongy material in the center of your bones that produces all your blood cells, such as white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Bone marrow transplant The process of treating disease with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both. Bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells are given after treatment to help the body make more blood cells. The process of treating disease with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both. Because this treatment destroys the bone marrow’s ability to produce blood cells, bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells are given after treatment to help the body make more blood cells. Immunotherapy A type of therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection and other diseases. A therapy that uses substances to stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection and other diseases. Some immunotherapies only target certain cells of the immune system. Others affect the immune system in a general way. Types of immunotherapy include cytokines, vaccines, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and some monoclonal antibodies. Stem cell A cell from which other types of cells develop. For example, blood cells develop from blood-forming stem cells.

      Women's Wellness Clinic

      The Fred Hutch Women's Wellness Clinic is for women who have completed cancer treatment or who are at high risk of developing breast or a gynecologic cancer.

      Sarcoma Surveillance Clinic

      The Fred Hutch Sarcoma Surveillance Clinic offers monitoring for patients who have completed their sarcoma treatment. This includes routine follow-up exams and scan review, which is important in order to detect possible early signs or sarcoma recurrence or metastatic disease.

      Metastatic A metastatic cancer is a cancer that has spread to other areas of the body by way of the lymph system or bloodstream. Recurrence Cancer that has come back, usually after a period during which it could not be detected. It may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or someplace else. Also called recurrent cancer. Sign In medicine, a sign is something found during a physical exam or from a laboratory test that shows that a person may have a condition or disease. In medicine, a sign is something found during a physical exam or from a laboratory test that shows that a person may have a condition or disease. Some examples of signs are fever, swelling, skin rash, high blood pressure and high blood glucose. Surveillance Closely watching a patient’s condition but not treating it unless there are changes in test results. Surveillance is also used to find early signs that a disease has come back. In medicine, surveillance means closely watching a patient’s condition but not treating it unless there are changes in test results. Surveillance is also used to find early signs that a disease has come back. It may also be used for a person who has an increased risk of a disease, such as cancer. During surveillance, certain exams and tests are done on a regular schedule. In public health, surveillance may also refer to the ongoing collection of information about a disease, such as cancer, in a certain group of people. The information collected may include where the disease occurs in a population and whether it affects people of a certain gender, age or ethnic group.

      Survivorship Events & Education

      Education and community are important aspects of life as a cancer survivor. We provide support to patients and their family as well as education to health-care professionals working with patients after their cancer treatments.

      Childhood cancer survivors

      Our alliance partner, Seattle Children's, offers the Cancer Survivor Program for survivors of childhood cancers. The program helps children, teens and young adults stay health after cancer treatment.

      Learn More About Cancer Survivor Program

      Clinical trials

      There are clinical trials for survivors interested in participating in studies that promote long-term survivorship. 

      View Survivorship Clinical Trials

      More support

      Support and self care
      Support and self care

      Your health care team is just one part of the support network you’ll find here. Fred Hutch has extensive resources to help our patients, families, and caregivers take better care of themselves and each other.

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      Support and self care
      Coping with side effects
      Coping with side effects

      Most patients will experience some side effects from their treatment, but great progress has been made in treating or minimizing many of them. Here is a guide to the most common side effects and how to manage them.

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      Coping with side effects
      Patient safety
      Patient safety

      Giving our patients care of the highest quality and safety is a point of pride for Fred Hutch and is reflected in our high survival rates and receipt of the Joint Commission’s Golden Seal of Approval.

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      Patient safety
      Infection prevention
      Infection prevention

      The Infection Prevention Program at Fred Hutch works to identify and reduce the risks of infection in our patients and staff. We conduct infectious-disease surveillance and implement effective infection-prevention measures throughout the organization

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      Infection prevention
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