Workforce Caring for Cancer Survivors in the United States: Estimates and Projections of Use

Background This study aims to quantify the extent and diversity of the cancer care workforce, beyond medical oncologists, to inform future demand because the number of cancer survivors is expected to grow in the United States. Methods Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data were used to evaluate health-care use of cancer survivors diagnosed between 2000 and 2014, enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare Parts A and B, and 65 years or older in 2008-2015. We calculated percentage of cancer survivors who saw each clinician specialty and their average annual number of visits in each phase of care. We projected the national number of individuals receiving care and number of annual visits by clinician specialty and phase of care through 2040. Results Cancer survivors had higher care use in the first year after diagnosis and last year of life phases. During the initial year after cancer diagnosis, most survivors were seen for cancer-related care by a medical oncologist (59.1%), primary care provider (55.9%), and/or other cancer-treating physicians (42.2%). The percentage of survivors with cancer-related visits to each specialty declined after the first year after diagnosis, plateauing after year 6-7. However, at 10 or more years after diagnosis, approximately 20% of cancer survivors had visits to medical oncologists and an average of 4 visits a year. Conclusions Cancer survivors had higher care use in the first year after diagnosis and last year of life. High levels of care use across specialties in all phases of care have important implications for models of survivorship care coordination and workforce planning.