ACT Clinic

Cancer treatments can cause health problems months or years after treatment has ended. These are called late effects. They may include second cancers, thinking and learning problems, or health problems that affect different parts of the body. It is important to catch problems early so they can be managed as soon as possible.

St. Jude cancer and bone marrow transplant patients are eligible for the ACT Clinic at least 5 years after diagnosis and 2 years after treatment has ended. Patients go to the clinic once a year until they turn 18 or until 10 years after their last cancer treatment, whichever comes later.

The ACT team looks forward to building a strong and caring relationship with you.

Services we provide

The ACT Clinic provides the following services:

• Physical examinations and tests — The ACT care team checks for effects of cancer and treatment on specific organs such as the brain, thyroid gland, heart, lungs, and kidneys.
• Assessments of thinking, learning, and emotional health — ACT staff look at how cancer treatment may affect your performance in school or at work. They will talk with you about how you are adjusting . They also talk with you about the health of your relationships with family and friends.
• Health risk education — The ACT team will tell you about your cancer history and health risks. They will discuss things you can do to stay healthy.
• Social worker support —You will also talk to a social worker who can help with insurance, financial matters, legal issues, school, work, medication programs, college scholarships, and how you are doing overall. They can make referrals and identify resources in your community.
• School and work support -- They may offer testing. They can make recommendations for school support or counseling.
• Transition to health care in your community—The ACT Clinic team helps you make the transition from the St. Jude care team to providers in your community. This includes finding a primary care provider and any needed specialists. ACT care providers work closely with community providers. We help make sure they know about your cancer treatment and health risks.
• Transition from pediatric to adult care – If you are close to turning 18, they will help you make the transition from pediatric care to adult care.

Your ACT Clinic team

The ACT Clinic team has special training, knowledge, and experience in caring for survivors of childhood cancer. Our team includes:

• Doctors
• Advanced care providers such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants
• Nurses
• Psychologists
• Social workers

What to expect at ACT visits

You will visit the ACT Clinic once a year. The ACT Clinic has a special scheduling team to plan your check-up. Most visits take 1—3 days. Check-ups will be different from those you had in the clinic during treatment. You may not need certain tests anymore. Care depends on your current needs and past treatment.

Several months before your appointment, St. Jude will confirm the date and time of your visit. Please let the team know as early as possible if you cannot attend your appointment. This allows us to offer the appointment to other St. Jude patients.

Most of your appointments will be at St. Jude. But, if needed, some may be at other health care facilities. These include mammograms, colonoscopies, and specialists not at St. Jude. St. Jude will provide transportation to these visits .

During your ACT visit, you will have a complete check-up and fill out a questionnaire. During your visit, the care team will:  

• Talk to you about your health history
• Discuss health risks related to your treatment
• Check for late effects. These are health problems that persist or develop later because of cancer treatment.)
• Talk with you about things you can do to stay healthy as you get older
• Discuss how to work with your health care providers in your community
• Update your survivorship care plan, which serves as a guide for your health care providers

A survivorship care plan includes:

• A summary of your diagnosis and treatment
• Risk factors for health problems related to your cancer treatment
• A schedule of screenings, tests, and other recommendations related to your cancer treatment

Your survivorship care plan is a tool you can use for the rest of your life. You should share the plan with your local health care providers.

You may also visit with a social worker during your ACT visit. St. Jude social workers can help you:

• Understand laws that protect people with disabilities and health problems related to cancer treatment
• Find scholarship and financial aid information
• Understand accommodations and support services available to help you in college and trade school
• Learn about opportunities after high school
• Navigate insurance, financial, and workplace matters
• Understand privacy issues concerning how much to disclose about your cancer history

Stay in contact

Please let St. Jude  know about changes of address, phone numbers, and email so we can reach you.

• Visit MyChart and click/tap on Personal Information.
• Call 901-595-6146 and select the ACT option.
• If you are outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free 1-866-2STJUDE (1-866-278-5833), extension 6146. 

Frequently asked questions

Q: If I have a health concern, do I call the ACT Clinic or my health care provider in my community?

A: If you get injured or sick, call your local doctor first. Call the ACT Clinic if you think your problem is related to your cancer or its treatment.

Q: What happens after I graduate from the ACT Clinic? What is my relationship with St. Jude?

A: After ACT, you become St. Jude alumni. St. Jude care providers are always available to help alumni and consult with your community health care providers.

St. Jude may contact you in the future to find out if you are interested in other research studies. Learn more about survivorship research at this link.

Q: Can I still stay in contact with St. Jude?

A: Absolutely.  Please let St. Jude  know about important health events such as hospitalizations, surgery, and tests. This helps us understand more about the health problems faced by childhood cancer survivors.