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A new study aims to find out how cancer survivors in New Zealand get on once they've beaten the disease.
Auckland University nursing professor Jill Bennett is leading the Life After Cancer study, which focuses on adults who are at least six months out from their final treatment.
The study, funded by the Genesis Energy Oncology Trust, will survey 250 cancer survivors on what support was available once they went into remission.
Professor Bennett, who arrived from the United States last year, said most funding for cancer research went into treatment, cures and prevention.
"When I came to New Zealand I looked around to see what was happening and there's great research going on ... but very little about what happens to people once they finish treatment."
She cited returning to work, sorting out stalled family finances and reintegrating back into everyday life.
"It's good news more people are surviving, but there are long-lasting effects of cancer and cancer treatment - for example, some people are having persistent fatigue, and they hesitate to talk about it because it doesn't seem as important as other things like, 'Is my cancer going to come back?'
"There's very little long-term support and survivors are expected to reintegrate into their normal lives when, in fact, cancer is a life-changing event for most people."
Professor Bennett said one challenge for researchers was that New Zealand lacked an official record of cancer survivors. Other countries kept registers which kept track of survivors' statistics.
New Zealand was likely to have a large number of survivors because the quality of treatment was generally good.
Findings from the survey will be released this year, and a second, larger phase of the study is planned for next year.
- NZPA
