Survivor Views

Share

Three Cancer Survivors

Cancer Survivors’ Views Make a Difference

Survivor Views is a groundbreaking program designed to further engage cancer survivors in the important policy issues that are part of ACS CAN’s fight against cancer.  Over 3,000 cancer survivors have agreed to participate in Survivor Views by responding to regular surveys on policy issues that support the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and promote survivors’ quality of life.

Through Survivor Views, ACS CAN hears directly from cancer survivors about their experiences and their perspectives on critical cancer-related issues.  This information helps shape the development of policy positions and provides important evidence to support the enactment of these policies.

51%

of cancer patients and survivors have gone into debt to cover the cost of their cancer care.

View the survey findings

Latest Updates

October 10, 2022

Female cancer patients are less satisfied with the quality of their cancer care than male cancer patients and are more likely to report that their symptoms were not taken seriously and that they had to prove their symptoms to providers.

July 19, 2022
New York

Albany, NY – A new Survivor Views survey from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) shows that while copay assistance programs can help cancer patients afford the medications they need, some aren’t able to apply them to their health insurance deductible or other out-of-pocket requirements,

July 5, 2022
National

An article released today in JAMA Network Open details the potential benefits of using technology to increase patient participation in cancer clinical trials. In a survey of nearly 1,200 recent cancer patients and survivors, more than 80% said they would be willing to use remote technologies and tools in a trial.

March 17, 2022
National

The cost of cancer care is substantially impacting the lives of cancer patients and survivors, forcing them to make significant lifestyle changes, and causing some to incur long-term medical debt.

Survivor Views Resources

The latest Survivor Views survey offers insight into how a national paid family and medical leave program could benefit cancer patients and survivors who struggle with missed work and lost income due to their illness. While only about one-fifth of workers in the United States have access to employer-paid family leave, 74% of patients and survivors surveyed have had to miss work and the majority have had to miss more than a month, with often difficult financial impacts.

With significant changes in how care has been accessed since the start of the pandemic, cancer patients and survivors report positive experiences using telehealth and are willing to use or adapt to using remote care services and technologies in the future. This survey also finds strong willingness to participate in cancer clinical trials, with interest increasing if trial sponsors offset non-medical costs such as travel and lodging.

This Survivor Views survey finds that cancer patients and survivors continue to face pandemic-related health care delays one year later, including disruptions to screenings and difficulties accessing care.

In the six months since the COVID-19 pandemic arose in the United States, cancer patients and survivors have encountered multiple challenges accessing health care.

Access an infographic showing results from the September 2020 survey on the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on patient access to care.
 

As the COVID-19 crisis continues, the impact on cancer patients and survivors has further increased.  This follow-up to our April Survivor Views survey shows how the pandemic is affecting cancer survivors’ access the health care, financial stability, and well-being.




Survivor Views is made possible by support from Bristol Myers Squibb, Amgen, Merck, Pfizer, and Sanofi