Abstract:
Background: With rising cancer incidence and expanding access to treatment, the population of cancer survivors is increasing. However, survivorship and long-term care remain fragmented, with many patients lacking structured follow-up, psychosocial support, and management of late treatment effects. These gaps often result in poor quality of life, preventable complications, and high loss-to-follow-up rates. Patient navigation has emerged as a promising model to strengthen continuity of care and enhance survivorship outcomes.
Objective: To highlight existing gaps in long-term cancer care in Kenya and examine the emerging role and impact of patient navigation in improving survivorship outcomes across diverse care settings.
Methods: A narrative synthesis was conducted using published literature, local program assessments, and stakeholder observations from Kenyan oncology facilities. Data were organized around key themes: survivorship needs, system-level barriers, current navigation practices, and reported outcomes from implemented navigation models.
Results: The review shows that survivorship care in Kenya is limited by inadequate follow-up systems, insufficient psychosocial support, and socioeconomic barriers that hinder care continuity. Patient navigation interventions—implemented in select public and private cancer centers—demonstrate improvements in appointment adherence, treatment completion, communication between providers and patients, and linkage to supportive services. Navigators help mitigate access barriers such as transport challenges, financial constraints, and low health literacy. Programs also report improved patient satisfaction and reduced loss to follow-up.
Conclusion: Patient navigation offers a practical, scalable pathway to strengthen survivorship and long-term cancer care in Kenya. Standardizing navigation roles, investing in training, and integrating navigation into national cancer control frameworks could significantly enhance survivor outcomes and quality of life.
