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Prof. Dr. med. Uta Dirksen: Everything for good aftercare after cancer

What happens after surviving cancer?
What care needs are there depending on age after a cancer diagnosis?

Survivors have to deal with various consequences of the disease, but are often inadequately informed about them. The aim of the OPTILATER project is to address these issues and establish a long-term program for cancer survivors. The consortium initiated by Prof. Uta Dirksen and Prof. Viktor Grünwald and coordinated by the WTZ Essen aims to improve long-term care for people who have or have had cancer throughout Germany. It is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Health with around 2.3 million euros over three years. Researchers from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Duisburg-Essen are also part of the consortium. We had the pleasure of talking to Uta Dirksen:

KAKS: Why is OPTILATER important for RB Survivor?
Dirksen: For almost all survivors, there are certain health risks after surviving cancer – our aim is to identify these at an early stage.
With OPTILATER, those affected have the opportunity for the first time to describe their care situation and also to name things that are missing from the patient’s point of view in aftercare.

KAKS: What are the current gaps in supply that you want and need to close?
Dirksen: That is the aim of the project.
There is currently no structured aftercare.
We want to change that.

KAKS: What questions regarding their health should RB survivors deal with in adulthood, i.e. from the age of 18?
Dirksen: We want to discuss this together with those affected.
And we rely on the support of survivors.
If survivors would like to support us, they can also contact OPTILATER directly by email: optilater@uk-essen.de

KAKS: Is OPTILATER only for survivors of childhood cancer or for everyone?
Dirksen: OPTILATER is an offer for all survivors who have been diagnosed in NRW.

KAKS: Why is this great initiative only happening now – shouldn’t it have been started much earlier? Dirksen: While the average survival rates in the 1950s were very low at 20%, today four out of five children, i.e. around 88%, survive their cancer. Therapies have become much better. But every therapy has side effects. We want to monitor these. We are currently celebrating the National Decade Against Cancer in Germany. During this time, the Federal Ministry of Health is also providing funding for cancer research. We are pleased that the topic of aftercare and late effects has been included here and recognized as an important issue.

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