Information
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 Genitourinary Cancer Survivorship Wellness Clinic focused on your needs from diagnosis throughout the continuum of your life.
This clinic serves survivors of prostate and testicular cancers as well as renal cell carcinoma.
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 questions about returning to your pre-cancer physical, sexual, and emotional health. After your initial in-person visit at the Genitourinary (GU) Cancer Survivorship Clinic, you should feel reassured, heard, and equipped with actionable tools for your day-to-day 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 GU cancer survivors. 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
- Genitourinary cancer–specific follow-up visits (supplementing, not replacing, your regular oncology medical care)
- Your site-specific surveillance schedule
- Referrals as needed (nutrition, exercise, side-effect management, psychosocial support, urinary health, sexual function, hormonal health/endocrinology, heart health/cardiology, and colorectal screening/gastroenterology)
- Contact information
Sylvester’s Innovative Services for Survivors of Genitourinary Cancers
While you can’t control much of your experience with cancer, you can structure your survivorship journey to meet your needs. This includes taking care of your body and mind to 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 options like virtual visits and online Zoom classes. Some services are offered in person, others via telehealth, and select services are available by referral only.
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 specially trained exercise oncologists and physical therapists, you can learn safe ways to 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
This personalized nutrition plan supports your overall health and wellness goals. After treatment, your body needs nutrients to provide energy and support muscle growth — especially when increasing physical activity. Additional benefits include healthy weight maintenance, improved mood and sleep, and a statistically lower risk of recurrence.
Emotional, Social, and Psychological Support Services
Our survivorship experts can refer you to counseling for anxiety, depression, scanxiety (fear of recurrence), emotional concerns related to sexual dysfunction and intimacy, body image concerns, and coping strategies for sleep, stress, and pain. The clinic can also connect you with peer groups (including a prostate cancer survivor group), caregiver support, return-to-work planning, and financial navigation services.
To support overall well-being and cognitive function and help lower stress, we also offer yoga, art therapy, music therapy, massage therapy, and pastoral/spiritual care (if you have spiritual needs). Participation can provide a supportive community and engaging therapeutic experiences.
Monitoring for Recurrence and Secondary Cancers
Your survivorship care plan will include site- and stage-specific surveillance recommendations (clinical exams, labs, imaging, and bone health monitoring for osteoporosis risk when indicated) based on guidance from your oncology providers and current medical guidelines. Monitoring supports peace of mind and helps ensure that, if recurrence occurs, it is detected and treated as early as possible.
Managing Your Side Effects, Improving Your Life
Our survivorship services and programs can help you manage and relieve long-term and late-onset side effects of treatment for genitourinary cancers, including:
- Urinary dysfunction
- Sexual dysfunction
- Hormonal changes and related symptoms (including hot flashes, fatigue, and muscle loss)
- Lymphedema
Your Team of Dedicated Experts
At Sylvester’s Genitourinary Cancer Survivorship Wellness Clinic, you can count on a team of experts to partner with you in your survivorship care. This holistic, collaborative approach can help you achieve the goals of your individualized care plan and improve your quality of life.
Your survivorship care will be coordinated by Sylvester providers from:
- Advanced Practice Providers (ARNPs, PAs)
- Endocrinology
- Exercise Specialists
- Lymphedema Therapists
- Medical Oncology
- Nutrition (Oncology Dietitians)
- Occupational Therapy
- Pain/Palliative Care
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Physical Therapy
- Primary Care
- Psychology/Psychiatry
- Radiation Oncology
- Social Work
- Urology
Start Your Wellness Journey
Your wellness journey with Sylvester’s survivorship program starts by making an appointment after completing your first course of therapy. You’ll need a referral from your oncology provider to make an appointment.
To learn more or request an appointment at Sylvester’s Genitourinary Cancer Survivorship Wellness Clinic, call 305-243-4922.
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 in laboratory research, patient care, and community outreach 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.
