Annual Report 2018
Division of Cancer Survivorship Research
Miyako Takahashi, Miyako Tsuchiya, Asuka Kato, Akiko Kimata, Risako Fujita, Hiroki Okamoto, Kyoko Onozawa, Mayumi Saito
Introduction
The missions of the Division of Cancer Survivorship Research are to enhance the quality of life of people with cancer and their caregivers, and to promote social awareness in Japan about cancer survivorship issues.
Our team and what we do
As for academic research, we deal with various survivorship-related issues experienced by cancer survivors and their caregivers during and after treatments such as employment, interpersonal relationships, prejudice against cancer, life-style modifications, and strategies of implementation and dissemination of research evidence into community settings. In particular, we examine the influence of the Japanese sociocultural background and health policies on living with, through and beyond cancer, and try to propose countermeasures based on the research findings.
As for activities to promote social awareness toward cancer survivorship, we plan and implement educational programs for the general public as well as healthcare providers.
Research activities
The research projects we conducted in 2018 include "cancer and work (both for adult onset and childhood/AYA (adolescent and young adult) onset survivors", "development of a program that reduces cancer-related stigma among the general public", "development of a cancer education program for school teachers and volunteers" and "A survey with patients and providers regarding survivorship care in communities". Also, in order to support AYA onset survivors, we newly created and opened a website that consists of a QOL-related information section and a personal stories section (https://plaza.umin.ac.jp/~ayasupport/).
This year, we published three research articles in English, seven research articles in Japanese, and four book chapters in Japanese. Also, we conducted one keynote/educational lecture, 10 symposium presentations (three in international conferences), and 11 oral/poster presentations in academic meetings (four in international conferences).
In addition to the above achievements, we managed an Internet portal site for business people on supporting working cancer patients and survivors, and published two guidebooks for employers and managers.
Education
As for education and academic lectures, we delivered more than 30 lectures in 2018 in answer to requests from universities, academic organizations, national and local governments, and medical institutions nationwide.
As for promoting social awareness of cancer survivorship, we planned and implemented three lecture series, "Community Center Café", "Gotochi (Local) Café", and "Cancer Survivorship Open Seminar", which were open to the public. The Community Center Café programs, which were held in a relaxed atmosphere with refreshments, consist of a lecture that takes up various cancer survivorship topics followed by a small group discussion by participants. It provided participants with an opportunity to learn about cancer survivorship issues as well as exchange views each other. In 2018, we held The Community Center Café twice with 100 participants in total in the Tsukishima Community Center in Chuo ward, where the National Cancer Center is located. The Gotochi (Local) Café, the other café program, has the same structure as the Community Center Cafe, but was co-sponsored by our division and healthcare providers in prefectures outside of Tokyo, and focused on high priority survivorship issues within the local community. In 2018, The Gotochi Café was co-sponsored by Matsue Red- Cross Hospital and Oki Hospital in Shimane Prefecture, in which about 60 people participated. The "Cancer Survivorship Open Seminar", held in the National Cancer Center Tsukiji campus, is a lecture series by researchers and focuses more on academic aspects of survivorship issues. In 2018, we held the seminar four times on "cancer survivorship", "cancer screening program", "cardio-oncology", and "integrated medicine", in which about 600 healthcare providers and survivors participated in total. The record of all cafés and seminars are presented to the public via the division homepage. The printed version of the record was sent to all government-designated cancer hospitals in Japan.
Future Prospects
Cancer survivorship research and care is indispensable in creating a society in which we can live in peace after having cancer. Our division will conduct research on a wide variety of cancer survivorship issues and propose countermeasures for them. We are going to develop activities in cooperation with domestic and international researchers and practitioners.
List of papers published in 2018
Journal
1. Tsuchiya M, Masujima M, Kato T, Ikeda SI, Shimizu C, Kinoshita T, Shiino S, Suzuki M, Mori M, Takahashi M. Knowledge, fatigue, and cognitive factors as predictors of lymphoedema risk-reduction behaviours in women with cancer. Support Care Cancer, 27:547-555, 2019
2. Tsuchiya M, Mori M, Takahashi M, Masujima M. Community- based lymphedema risk reduction programs for cancer survivors: An Internet survey of public health nurses. Jpn J Nurs Sci, 15:340-350, 2018
3. Tsuchiya M, Masujima M, Mori M, Takahashi M, Kato T, Ikeda SI, Shimizu C, Kinoshita T, Shiino S, Suzuki M. Information-seeking, information sources and ongoing support needs after discharge to prevent cancer-related lymphoedema. Jpn J Clin Oncol, 48:974-981, 2018