Cancer rehabilitation aims to address the physical, psychosocial, mental and emotional needs of a person living with cancer. Within the healthcare team, the physiotherapist has an important role to play.

 

The goals of rehabilitation for the cancer population are:

 

1. To regain and improve physical function, aerobic capacity (cardiovascular health), strength and flexibility

2. To promote an active lifestyle suitable for one's current function and improve overall quality of life

3. To reduce or help manage side effects of cancer treatment

4. To improve one's ability to withstand any current or future cancer treatments

 

These goals will vary according to where the survivor is in the continuum of cancer journey. An individual’s cancer journey is very personal. A journey through the different phases is illustrated below:

​

​

​

​​

​

​

​

​

​

​​​Cancer is a chronic disease and with any chronic disease, it requires long term management. Cancer is also very complex. Most patients experience multiple side effects from their treatment - surgery, radiation, chemotherapy. Therefore, intervention needs to be holistic and personalized. There is no one-size-fits-all.

 

The following lists the common side effects patients with cancer experience and how they will benefit from rehabilitation:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​