Cancer care is more than a series of clinical interventions– it’s a deeply personal journey that starts from the moment of a suspected diagnosis and continues long after treatment ends. In 2025, roughly 2 million Americans will be newly diagnosed with cancer—about 5,600 people each day. Incidence is increasing for many cancer types, with notable increases among women and younger adults. For each of them, that diagnosis marks the beginning of an overwhelming and uncertain journey, filled with questions, fear, and a lack of clear guidance on what comes next.
From the uncertainty of early symptoms and screenings to the overwhelming complexity of treatment decisions, every phase brings new challenges, emotions, and critical support needs. Active treatment is a vital and intensive period in the cancer experience, and supporting patients during this time is essential. But it’s just one chapter.
While there is an increase in early-onset cancer incidence, thankfully, there continue to be many advances in cancer treatment as well as increased early detection. Today, more than 18 million cancer survivors live in the U.S. —there’s a growing need to extend that same level of care and attention beyond treatment. As of 2020, there were over 3.5 million working-age survivors. Without wraparound support before and after treatment, many individuals and their caregivers are left to navigate vulnerable, high-stakes moments without the guidance they deserve. Survivors continue to face clinical, emotional, and logistical challenges that directly impact quality of life, health outcomes, and cost of care.
To meet the evolving needs of this growing population of survivors, it’s time to rethink what comprehensive cancer care means—moving toward an end-to-end approach that is designed for oncology, and provides proactive and personalized care, ultimately driving better outcomes, better experiences, and lower costs for everyone.
Regardless of cancer type or stage, members with cancer and their caregivers are often have to navigate a fragmented landscape, with gaps that may appear throughout the care continuum.
Pre-Diagnosis: A Time of Heightened Anxiety and Uncertainty
Many members with cancer begin their journey in uncertainty—navigating abnormal screenings, unexplained symptoms, or delayed referrals. Once a potential diagnosis is raised, they’re often left to figure out next steps on their own: how to confirm the diagnosis, whether to seek a second opinion, where to go for treatment, and what their insurance will cover. For working-age individuals, this uncertainty is compounded by everything else they’re juggling—managing a full-time job, raising children, caring for aging parents, or maintaining financial stability. As survivorship grows, so does the need to extend the same level of care and attention into this next phase of the journey. And, at the point of diagnosis, they must quickly make life-altering decisions related to their prognosis, treatment options, and more—often with minimal support or clarity.
40% of members with cancer report significant psychological distress or worsening mental health around the time of diagnosis and treatment initiation. Feelings of anxiety, confusion, and depression are common, and often lead to delayed treatment during this early phase.
Cancer treatment frequently involves multiple specialists across disconnected systems, where the burden of coordination often falls on the member. Common symptoms like dehydration and nausea from chemotherapy treatment can often blindside members. As a result, many turn to emergency visits. One JAMA Network study found that 52% of ER visits among members with cancer were identified as potentially preventable, amounting to 3.2 million avoidable visits.
These visits drive up costs, delay recovery, and reflect the lack of proactive support during treatment. Plus, support during treatment often bypasses emotional distress, psychological issues, and barriers to care related to food needs, transportation access, and financial difficulties.
Post-Treatment: Overlooked Support for Cancer Survivors
Completing treatment is not the end of the cancer experience—just a new chapter. 25% of survivors report persistent psychological and social distress, such as anxiety around recurrence. Survivors frequently live with long-term side effects (e.g., fatigue, cognitive changes), and challenges with medication adherence—yet post-treatment guidance and support are minimal or nonexistent. Moreover, survivors often have to navigate ongoing screenings and management of other specialty conditions they may be more at risk for, such as having a 42% greater risk of cardiovascular disease than people without cancer, contributing to even more costs. For some, conditions may progress or recur, which may require an added layer of enhanced supportive care for advanced care.
Overall, the lack of care continuity results in higher long-term spend. Survivors report higher out-of-pocket spending than people who have not had cancer, and some report spending more than 20% of their annual income on medical care.
True value in cancer care does not come from isolated interventions—it comes from a connected, proactive model that supports the whole person throughout the entire journey.
An end-to-end approach includes:
This is what members deserve—and what organizations need to offer to lower costs, reduce burden, and deliver exceptional member experiences.
Thyme Care’s end-to-end oncology care solution is built to fill the gaps other models miss, delivering coordinated, human-centered support from pre-diagnosis through survivorship. Our Care Team consists of 400+ oncology-trained team members, including 112 oncology nurses led by medical directors, and 10 licensed clinical social workers focused on behavioral health needs. Closely integrated with treating oncologists, our support is collaborative—not duplicative—and focused on delivering whole-person, goal-aligned care across every stage.
Supporting Members From the Start: Pre-Diagnosis Navigation
Members’ journeys often begin with uncertainty. Thyme Care provides immediate support to individuals with abnormal screenings, suspected diagnoses, or newly confirmed cancers. We help members navigate a time often marked by fear and confusion by:
This early intervention helps members make more confident decisions, access timely care, and avoid unnecessary stress or delays in treatment.
Proactive Support During Active Treatment: Real-Time, Integrated Care
Thyme Care’s model is built to stay closely connected to members throughout active treatment—offering proactive outreach, real-time symptom monitoring, and rapid response care that fills in the gaps between clinical visits.
This seamless approach improves member experience, reduces costly complications, and strengthens treatment adherence.
Continuity Beyond Treatment: Survivorship and Advanced Illness Support
Post-treatment is overlooked. Thyme Care extends personalized care with continued 24/7 access to care through Thyme Care Connect, a digital platform that provides members access to support, symptom tracking, and educational resources, as well as robust survivorship and palliative care programs.
Comprehensive survivorship care: We offer ongoing, dedicated support for the growing population of cancer survivors—ensuring they’re not left to navigate life post-treatment alone. Our program includes:
With a focus on long-term health, our survivorship program is designed to improve quality of life and reduce downstream costs.
Enhanced supportive care for advanced cancer: Our palliative care program identifies members with serious illness early and provides support tailored to their goals:
By combining proactive identification with compassionate clinical delivery, Thyme Care ensures members with advanced cancer receive timely, aligned care that improves quality of life and reduces unnecessary interventions.
Cancer incidence rates and care complexity are rising. Members deserve better than the status quo, where many are falling through the cracks. Each year, more people are entering a system that wasn’t built to support them through the full arc of their cancer experience. At the same time, organizations are under pressure to reduce costs, improve outcomes, and deliver member experiences that reflect the reality of what people with cancer truly need—compassionate, continuous support that tailors and adapts to individual cancer care journeys. Traditional care models, focused narrowly on clinical interventions during active treatment, are no longer enough.
Thyme Care offers a new way forward. Our end-to-end oncology solution meets members where they are—before diagnosis, during treatment, and long into survivorship—with real-time, personalized, and integrated support. Because when we care for the whole person, across the entire journey, we are not only working to improve outcomes—we want to transform the cancer experience for everyone.