Article

The value of exercise and rehabilitative interventions for cancer
survivors is increasingly clear, and oncology rehabilitation programs could
provide these important interventions. However, a pathway to create oncology
rehabilitation has not been delineated. Community-based cardiac rehabilitation
(CR) programs staffed by health care professionals with experience in providing
rehabilitation and secondary prevention services to individuals with coronary
heart disease are widely available and provide a potential model and location for
oncology rehabilitation programs. Our purpose was to outline the rehabilitative
needs of cancer survivors and demonstrate how oncology rehabilitation can be
created using a CR model. METHODS: We identify the impairments associated with
cancer and its therapy that respond to rehabilitative interventions. Components
of the CR model that would benefit cancer survivors are described. An example of
an oncology rehabilitation program using a CR model is presented. RESULTS: Cancer
survivors have impairments associated with cancer and its therapy that improve
with rehabilitation. Our experience demonstrates that effective rehabilitation
services can be provided utilizing an existing CR infrastructure. Few adjustments
to current CR models would be needed to provide oncology rehabilitation.
Preliminary evidence suggests that cancer survivors participating in an oncology
rehabilitation program experience improvements in psychological and physiologic
parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Utilizing the CR model of rehabilitative services and
disease management provides a much needed mechanism to bring oncology
rehabilitation to larger numbers of cancer survivors.

Langue : ANGLAIS

Tiré à part : OUI