As Important as All Cancer Treatments: Oncology Rehabilitation!

With oncology rehabilitation, side effects that may occur during treatment can not only be alleviated, but also eliminated or prevented from occurring at all.

Cancer treatment can affect physical, social, psychological and work-related skills. Rehabilitation helps address these difficulties and restore work-related skills. Although this service is often available at the hospitals where treatment is received, you can ask your doctors and nurses about local rehabilitation options.

How does cancer / oncology rehabilitation help?

• It helps you become physically stronger.
• It improves your ability to care for yourself. This means you need less help from a relative or caregiver.
• It identifies actual, perceived and potential losses.
• Anxiety and depression are reduced.
• It manages complaints during cancer and its treatment and side effects . Some of these complaints are pain, sleep problems and fatigue.
• It reduces the length of hospital stays.

What services do oncology rehabilitation centers and specialists in this field offer?

• Education and counseling for patients and their families
• Cancer pain treatment
• Nutrition / dietary counseling
• Exercise program 
• Quitting smoking support
• Home care needs
• Support in performing simple activities

You can consult specialists according to your needs. These specialists have received special training in rehabilitation. Your healthcare team will help you adapt to changes. Changes related to cancer and cancer treatment may be temporary or permanent.

Who is on the oncology rehabilitation team?

Medical oncologist

Medical oncologists are doctors who are familiar with the entire course of cancer. The leader of the oncology rehabilitation team is often a medical oncologist.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist

These doctors, also called rehabilitation specialists, can help patients at many stages of the cancer journey; for example, in preventing or treating lymphedema that may occur after cancer surgery. Brain tumors are among the first cancer types that come to mind when oncology rehabilitation is mentioned. Starting oncology rehabilitation early in patients with brain tumors affects quality of life and even survival at least as much as cancer treatment.

The exercises planned by physical medicine specialists for cancer patients aim to reduce fatigue and improve physical functioning and quality of life.

Physiotherapists help patients improve their physical strength and movement skills.

People experiencing the following difficulties may benefit from physical therapy: 

• Muscle loss caused by prolonged inpatient treatment
• Balance problems
• Dependence on a cane or other aids
• Patients with restricted movement after surgery

Oncology rehabilitation nurse

Helps people regain their physical abilities. Oncology nurses may also provide education and counseling as part of their services.

Anesthesiology or pain medicine specialist

From the time of diagnosis, when cancer treatment includes palliative care , numerous studies have shown much more favorable disease outcomes. Anesthesiologists specializing in palliative care provide important support to patients in many different processes, from treating cancer pain and managing side effects to relieving suffering in the terminal phase.

Recreational therapist

Uses games, art, crafts or music in this field. The aim is to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Art therapies are strongly supported in this field. Through these activities, people develop personal abilities and strengthen their personal skills.

Dietitian / nutrition specialist

• Identifies patients’ special nutritional needs.
• Recommends diets or meal plans according to cancer treatment.
• Adjusts the diet according to body weight and needs.

Psycho-oncology specialists

These may be psychologists and psychiatrists. They address emotional, psychological and behavioral needs. To meet the mental challenges of cancer and its treatment, psycho-oncology specialists teach patients ways to cope with difficult conditions. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication when necessary.

Social worker

Provides various services, including the following;

• Counseling during the transition from hospital to home. Home care may be one example. 
• Helping with lifestyle changes.
• Leading support groups.
• Helping with financial concerns.
• Connecting patients and families with community resources.

Home care aide

This person helps with everyday tasks. These may include bathing, dressing, using the toilet and moving around. Some home health aides can provide more complex services under nursing supervision.

Speech and language specialist

Many cancer patients can benefit from speech and language pathology. Therapists address potential problems such as dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, loss of voice and cognitive changes caused by cancer treatment.

Manual therapy

Massage therapists help reduce cancer-related pain and improve quality of life during cancer treatment.

Some manual therapy options:

• Traditional massage
• Myofascial release 
• Soft tissue manipulation with passive stretching
• Aromatherapy 
• Effort massage 
• Trigger point therapy
• Acupressure 
• Reflexology

Auriculotherapy

Painless, noninvasive oncology rehabilitation helps alleviate cancer treatment side effects such as external ear ringing, pain, nausea or fatigue. It involves stimulating certain points on the ear in various ways to produce responses in the body.