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To learn more about cancer survivorship research at Sylvester, please call 305-243-3329 or
email Survivorship Research.
Your Life Beyond Cancer
Cancer survivorship doesn’t begin only after treatment. It starts the day you’re diagnosed. Whether you’re in the middle of treatment or moving into the next phase of your recovery, survivorship support remains important throughout your journey. It’s normal to feel hopeful about your future while also wondering what comes next. That’s why the team at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Health System, is here to help you feel supported at every step — so you can not only survive, but truly thrive.
Sylvester is home to the Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Survivorship Wellness Clinic focused on your needs from diagnosis throughout the continuum of your life.
This clinic serves survivors being treated with transplant and CAR-T cell therapy (TCT) for cancers and blood diseases, including:
- Germ cell tumors
- Leukemia (acute and chronic)
- Multiple myeloma
- Myelodysplasia and myelofibrosis
- Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma
- Severe aplastic anemia
- Other indications
Your Personalized Survivorship Care Plan
During and following your cancer treatment at Sylvester, our survivorship care team can help address your concerns — from worries about recurrence to living immunocompromised or returning to work and the activities you enjoy. After your initial in-person or telehealth visit, you should feel informed about your long-term plan, confident in how to monitor your health, and supported by our dedicated survivorship team.
We will address the impact of your treatment on your overall health while incorporating health promotion and prevention approaches to improve your post-treatment quality of life.
You’ll receive a written, personalized survivorship care plan designed to help you meet your health, wellness, and lifestyle goals. You will also be introduced to services, programs, and resources tailored to the needs of patients treated with transplant and CAR-T cell therapy. Some services are offered in person, others via telehealth, and select services are available by referral only.
Your personalized survivorship care plan includes:
- A summary of your diagnosis and treatments
- Cancer-specific follow-up visits (supplementing, not replacing your regular oncology medical care), including lab monitoring
- Your surveillance schedule based on cancer type and treatment history
- Clear red-flag symptoms
- Referrals as needed (nutrition, exercise, side-effect management, urology, endocrinology, and psychosocial support)
- Contact information
- Clear next steps
Sylvester’s Innovative Services for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Patients
While you can’t control much of your experience with cancer, you can take an active role in your survivorship journey. Caring for your body and mind can improve your quality of life and help lower your chances of recurrence.
We make it easier to access the services and follow-up care you need through virtual visits and online Zoom classes. Some services are offered in person, others via telehealth, and select services are available by referral only.
Our aim is to prevent and treat side effects and complications of hematopoietic cell transplantation through the following therapies and services:
Graft-versus-Host Disease Clinic
For survivors who received an allogeneic hematopoietic transplant, we offer a Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) Clinic for specialized treatment and access to promising new therapies. This clinic provides expert care for both acute and chronic GvHD and runs clinical trials focused on improving quality of life, including interventional therapies for patients managing GvHD.
Exercise Oncology and Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy
A personalized exercise program can be tailored to address treatment and post-treatment side effects, including fatigue, muscle loss, and weakness. About 80% of cancer survivors experience fatigue after treatment, and exercise is the number one recommendation to combat it. Movement and strength training can help you regain energy, strength, and muscle mass.
With guidance from our team of specially trained exercise oncologists and physical and occupational therapists — including collaboration with the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center — you can safely become more active at home, in group exercise classes (in person or via Zoom), at a gym, and outdoors. Additional benefits include healthy weight maintenance, improved mood and sleep, and a statistically lower risk of recurrence.
Nutritional Guidance
Personalized nutrition support can address dietary concerns during and after TCT. This service may begin during inpatient hospitalization and continue in the outpatient setting. After treatment, your body needs nutrients to provide energy, reduce inflammation, support hormonal balance, and promote muscle growth — especially when increasing physical activity. Additional benefits include healthy weight maintenance, improved mood and sleep, and a statistically lower risk of recurrence.
Integrative Medicine Services
Our holistic approach includes acupuncture, massage therapy, and mind-body therapies such as yoga, art therapy, and music therapy, as well as pastoral/spiritual care (if you have spiritual needs). These services can reduce stress, support coping, and improve quality of life.
Emotional, Social, and Psychological Support
Our survivorship experts can refer you to specialists to support your mental and emotional recovery, including Sylvester’s cancer supportive services and psycho-oncology providers. Support may include care for anxiety, depression, scanxiety, and body image concerns, plus coping strategies for sleep, stress, and pain. We also conduct clinical trials in population sciences and behavioral health focused on improving quality of life.
Our clinic can connect you with peer groups, caregiver support, return-to-work planning, and financial navigation services. Social workers can also help address barriers to accessing care. These services may be available during inpatient hospitalization and in the outpatient setting.
Sexual Health and Intimacy Counseling
After cellular therapy, patients have access to specialized care and research opportunities focused on biologic, interpersonal, and psychological barriers to sexual health. Male TCT patients may also be referred to urology specialists for evaluation and hormone replacement therapy when appropriate.
Monitoring for Recurrence and Secondary Cancers
Your survivorship care plan will include surveillance recommendations based on the most recent guidelines from the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. This may include clinical exams, labs, imaging, and monitoring for complications including GvHD. Monitoring supports peace of mind and helps ensure that, if recurrence occurs, it is detected and treated as early as possible.
Your Team of Dedicated Experts
At Sylvester’s Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Survivorship Clinic, you can count on a multidisciplinary team of experts — including nationally recognized specialists in ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and pulmonology — to partner with you in your survivorship care.
Your survivorship care will be coordinated by Sylvester providers from:
- Advanced Practice Providers (ARNPs, PAs)
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Endocrinology
- Gastrointestinal
- Gynecology
- Internal medicine
- Nutrition
- Ophthalmology
- Psychology/psychiatry
- Pulmonary
- Urology
Start Your Wellness Journey
Your wellness journey with Sylvester’s survivorship program starts by making an appointment after undergoing your transplant. You’ll need a referral from your oncology provider to make an appointment.
To learn more or request an appointment at Sylvester’s Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Survivorship Wellness Clinic, call 305-243-7000.
Why Choose Sylvester
Survivorship and Supportive Care Institute. This clinic is part of Sylvester’s new Survivorship and Supportive Care Institute, one of the only dedicated institutes of its kind in Florida and among a select few nationwide. The Institute provides access to an elevated level of survivorship expertise not found elsewhere in the state.
NCI-designated cancer center. The National Cancer Institute has recognized Sylvester for outstanding work conducting laboratory research, treating patients in clinics and hospitals, and reaching out to medically underserved communities with innovative prevention strategies.
Comprehensive care. Our multidisciplinary team provides expert, compassionate care through every step of your cancer journey. We combine evidence-based practices, cutting-edge treatments, and innovative technologies with personalized, patient-focused care to help you achieve your individual health goals.
Research prowess. As an oncology care leader in the region, we continue to pursue survivorship research and explore new ways to enhance survivors’ health, wellness, and lifestyle beyond diagnosis and active treatment. By improving our understanding of cancer and its impacts, we’re working to enhance quality of life for people in South Florida and beyond.
