Blog Post
Delivering accessible, multidisciplinary care to working-age adult cancer survivors through a virtual program
Color
Presented at ASCO on October 11, 2025
Key takeaway: A virtual, multidisciplinary physician-led care model can meet the unique physical, emotional, and social needs of working age adults treated for cancer.
Study motivation
Nearly 30% of the 18 million cancer survivors in the United States are working-age adults (21–65), a group whose needs differ from those of younger or older survivors. They are balancing cancer recovery with careers, families, and long-term health effects that can last decades.
Despite this, many survivors transition to primary care settings where specialized survivorship expertise is limited, creating significant gaps in follow-up care. With the rise of early-onset cancers and improved survival rates, there is a growing need for accessible, expert-led, multidisciplinary survivorship care that is tailored to working-age adults.
Color Health launched the Virtual Cancer Survivorship Program to close this gap and provide nationwide access to evidence-based, longitudinal support.
Methodology
Color Health modeled the first 50-state, oncologist-led, multidisciplinary Virtual Cancer Survivorship Program on Stanford’s standard-setting general cancer survivorship program led by Dr. Lidia Schapira, the senior author. This unique program, delivered as part of the Virtual Cancer Clinic, provides access, speed, and direct clinical care.
Study eligibility:
- Offered through employer and union benefits
- Participants aged 21–65 who self-identified as cancer survivors
Access:
During the general intake process, survivors were offered the opportunity to schedule a virtual visit by video or phone at their convenience.
Multidisciplinary care team:
- Oncologists and primary care physicians
- Oncology nurse navigators
- Oncology-certified dietitians
- Genetic counselors
- Behavioral health specialists
- Care advocates
- Other experts as needed
Consultative expertise was available for sub-specialties such as radiation oncology, cardiology, pain management, fertility, and integrative medicine.
This quality improvement study consisted of a retrospective chart review of patients who participated between January 1 and July 1, 2025 (n=153). Demographics, cancer characteristics, and employment data were analyzed along with satisfaction ratings and engagement frequency.
What we found
The cohort represented a diverse national population:
- Median age at enrollment: 56 years (range: 20-75)
- 63% female, 37% male
- Cancer diagnosed more than 5 years prior: 66%
- Geographic representation: Midwest (32%), Northeast (25%), South (26%), West (17%)
- 77% of participants lived in areas of low social vulnerability
- Most common industries: Consumer and Industrial (54%), Technology and Professional Services (17%), Healthcare (14%)
- Wide variety of cancer types, including breast (17%), prostate (5%), kidney (5%), cervical (5%), and colorectal (4%)
Program engagement and satisfaction were high:
- 13.3 average touch points with the care team (range: 1–70)
- 9.77 out of 10 satisfaction score (42 responses from 35 patients)
As one participant shared:
“I felt like I was swimming, but not getting anywhere and starting to drown. Now I feel like I have a plan and know what I need to do for my health.”
Implications
The results highlight the feasibility and impact of a scalable virtual approach to survivorship care. The Color Virtual Cancer Survivorship Program demonstrated that multidisciplinary, expert-led support can be delivered nationwide, providing personalized and continuous care that complements local oncology and primary care teams.
This model represents a promising solution for bridging gaps in survivorship care for working-age adults, ensuring equitable access to follow-up, prevention, and psychosocial support.
