Cancer survivors are persons living with cancer. It has become a reality that a cancer patient can live for many years after a cancer diagnosis due to the advancement of medical treatment and newly developed cancer drugs. Nevertheless, during and after the completion of anti-cancer therapies, and during the later follow-ups and monitoring the cancer recurrence, cancer survivors face unique physical, psychological, economic and social challenges. These issues include managing long-term toxicities and later effects of anti-cancer therapies; the changes from a cancer patient to a cancer survivor; the transition from cancer treatments to healthy living and the readjustment of their roles in the society and their families. In addition, many oncologists and community family physicians are not familiar with the concept of cancer survivorship with inadequate professional training. In past 30 years, the research and services of cancer survivorship is becoming an emerging branch of medicine in the United States and Europe, which comprises multidisciplinary professionals, governments, social services, cancer patients and their families. We reviewed and analysised the definition, history, development and current research of cancer survivorship in the United States. Comparing with the current cancer condition in China, we provided directions and perspectives of cancer survivorship research and services for the cancer community in China.