Podcast: Cancer Survivorship Lasts a Lifetime

Cancer is the leading cause of death for Hispanics in the United States. Once diagnosed and treated, this community often faces greater challenges in their survivorship journey, including quality of life issues and stressful social and economic factors.

Frank Penedo, Ph.D., Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center’s associate director for Cancer Survivorship and Translational Behavioral Sciences, joins Inside U Miami Medicine to share how he and his team are working to improve quality of life among Hispanic cancer survivors.

“Survival benefit does, unfortunately, get offset by long-term effects of treatment like radiation and chemotherapy, which persist 10 to 15 years after treatment,” said Dr. Penedo, who is the Sylvester Dolphins Challenge Cancer Living Proof Endowed Chair in Cancer Survivorship. “We have to also focus on the journey that takes place after treatment.”

In the episode, Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and podcast host, discusses with Dr. Penedo how a six-year, $9.8 million grant may influence health outcomes in this community.

“The cancer experience in Hispanics is quite complex,” said Dr. Penedo. “We’re looking at the modifiable factors that matter, and then we can frame an intervention based on those factors…from public health messages to very targeted, specific interventions to help these patients.”

Dr. Penedo also offers insight into a new digital tool that he and his team are using to assess a broad range of cancer patients’ physical and emotional symptoms, and how new technologies can be incorporated to improve long-term clinical outcomes.

Find the episode here, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Tags: cancer survivorship, Cancer Survivorship Program, Dean Henri R. Ford, Dr. Frank J. Penedo, Frank J. Penedo, Inside U Miami Medicine