This information explains how your prostate cancer care will transition (transfer) from Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) to your local primary care doctor. It also answers some frequently asked questions.
At MSK, we have a plan of care for people who have completed treatment for prostate cancer. This plan is based on your individual needs.
You have passed the time when most problems from prostate cancer can happen. As a result, you can start seeing your local primary care doctor for your future healthcare needs. This transition may seem scary at first, but we’re here to help you.
Early Follow-up Care
In the first years after your treatment, you went to your doctor’s clinic for follow-up visits. You care team may also have included an advance practice provider (APP). They’re healthcare providers with special training who work alone or with your doctor to care for you. APPS include a nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA).
You may have had visits with more than 1 APP, depending on the treatments you had. These visits included physical exams and tests, such as colonoscopies.
Long-term Follow-up Care
Your care at MSK
Your doctor decides when you will transfer to a long-term follow-up clinic. An advanced practice practitioner (APP) will manage your care in this clinic. The APP will continue with the exams and tests your doctor ordered.
The APP will also help you with your long-term physical and psychological needs related to prostate cancer and its treatment. This includes managing side effects of treatment and making sure you get all the care you need.
Transition to your local primary care doctor
At this stage after your treatment, we can transfer your care from MSK to your local primary care doctor. Your APP will send your primary care doctor a detailed summary of your care at MSK. They will send copies of your test results. The report will include any recommendations for future prostate cancer screenings, based on your treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I need any other care for my prostate cancer?
Yes. You should have routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests ordered by your primary care provider or urologist.
Your doctor or APP will let you know if you will need any other testing for your prostate cancer surveillance. Follow your primary care doctor’s recommendation about how often to visit other healthcare providers for routine cancer screenings.
An example of a routine cancer screening is a colonoscopy. When you schedule a colonoscopy, it’s important to let your gastroenterologist know that you have had radiation to your prostate. A gastroenterologist is a doctor with special training in diseases of the digestive system and related organs.
What other blood tests will I need?
Your primary care doctor will order tests related to your general health, such as cholesterol screenings. Your MSK care team’s report sent to your primary care provider will include any other tests you need.
I see other MSK doctors. Can I still see them?
Talk with your MSK doctor and your local doctors about planning your care. Your MSK and local doctors can help you decide what’s best for you.
If I have another problem related to prostate cancer, can I come back to MSK?
Yes. We want you to come back to MSK if anything changes. This includes you having a recurrence (the prostate cancer comes back), a new side effect, or a rising PSA.
We will give you and your primary care doctor contact information to make an appointment. As a returning patient, you can make an appointment by calling 844-923-036. Ask to talk with your doctor’s office.