Introduction: More than 50 % of all cancer survivors experience one or more late effects following the cancer disease and treatment. Current models of follow-up care are inadequate in meeting the needs of many cancer survivors, leading to unresolved late effects. Community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals for the public, and evidence-based pharmacy services focusing on patient-centred care have shown to improve health and quality of life and lower mortality rates. Thus, it is relevant to explore if and how community pharmacies can contribute to an intervention targeting late effects of cancer.

Aim and method: The study explored cancer survivors’ views on involving community pharmacies in managing late effects of cancer. A questionnaire was developed based on validated questionnaires, altering selected questions to fit the study purpose. The questionnaire was pilot tested on cancer patients in four Danish community pharmacies and sent electronically through Survey Xact to all 611 cancer patients in the Danish Cancer Society´s patient panel in August 2021. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative comments were analysed using content analysis.

Results: Overall, 354 of 611 patient panellists responded (response rate 58%). Three of four respondents experienced late effects of cancer and lacked counselling on late effects to varying degrees, e.g., more personal guidance after their treatment course. Despite experiencing late effects, 23% of the respondents did not discuss symptoms with any healthcare professional. Only 7% of the respondents discussed late effects of cancer with pharmacy staff, of whom 91% brought up the subject themselves. Within the previous 12 months, 6 % had visited the pharmacy weekly and 44 % monthly. While 54 % were open to the community pharmacy playing a more prominent role in managing their late effects of cancer, 25 % were not interested in pharmacy involvement. Half the respondents would participate in a free, local community pharmacy-based intervention on late effects of cancer, whereas 20 % would reject.

Conclusion: Cancer patients frequently experience late effects of cancer and find counselling insufficient. However, half of the responding patient panellists were positive towards involving community pharmacies in managing late effects of cancer. The findings support the relevance of further research on how to involve community pharmacies in managing late effects of cancer.

Implications for applicability/transferability, sustainability, and limitations: Cancer patients’ needs and perspectives from this study will be utilised to strengthen the existing interdisciplinary collaboration on managing late effects of cancer. We aim to develop an intervention where community pharmacies supplement existing initiatives on identifying, counselling, and treating late effects.