Cancer rehabilitation and palliative care—two important parts of comprehensive cancer care

Abstract

In this issue of Supportive Care in Cancer, Julie K. Silver et al. focus on cancer rehabilitation and palliative care delineating their respective roles in comprehensive oncology care [1]. The authors describe how cancer rehabilitation and palliative care are quite similar in goal setting, namely to improve physical, cognitive, psychological, and social aspects of quality of life in cancer patients-both specialties prioritizing goalconcordant care through identification of patient and family preferences and values. So both-cancer rehabilitation and palliative care-are able to improve cancer-related symptoms or cancer treatment-related side effects leading not only to (1) improve quality of life of cancer patients and cancer survivors but also to (2) improve healthcare efficiencies. As palliative care is, cancer rehabilitation is an interdisciplinary team process and an individually planned targeted process with the patient and family as active members within the team. Exercise-as a modality typical for cancer rehabilitationcan even help patients where palliative rehabilitation goals are predominant to live longer and independent of others help [2]. Nevertheless, cancer rehabilitation and palliative care are using different specialized skills and approaches in the delivery of care. Typically, palliative care teams focus on using patient and family communication to determine their goals of care, but rehabilitation teams focus more on functional deficits and their resulting impact on disability and quality of life. The authors conclude that further research in cancer rehabilitation and palliative care would support better integration of both into high-quality oncology care. Furthermore, they emphasize earlier integration of cancer rehabilitation and palliative care into the oncology care continuum because this would significantly improve the quality of patient-centered programs.

Aspects of cancer rehabilitation: an Austrian perspective

“…As survival rates are increasing, cancer rehabilitation is an important part in the treatment and care of cancer patients [1,2]. With this "Special", we aim to give an insight in the Austrian situation of cancer rehabilitation, and furthermore to highlight the importance of the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitationwith competencies in diagnostic and therapy as well as of coordination of the multi-professional and interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams for cancer rehabilitation [2].…”

Barriers to cancer rehabilitation: healthcare professionals’ perspective in Saudi Arabia

“…While cancer patients are living longer, many have resultant physical and cognitive disabilities, which may impair their quality of life. Indeed, studies have shown a high prevalence of functional impairments among cancer patients with a wide range of diagnoses and treatment situations [2][3][4][5][6][7]. In an effort to improve the quality of life of cancer survivors, increasing attention has been given to improving functional recovery following treatment.…”

Return-to-work outcomes in cancer survivors

“…At the Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) of the Medical University of Vienna (General Hospital of Vienna, Austria), we have a so-called CCC-platform for Side effectsManagement, Supportive Care & Rehabilitation (CCC-SMSCR) which is able to help patients to handle various barriers such as functional deficits, symptoms, and emotional distress [6]. Furthermore, this CCC-platform aims Bto increase knowledge^, Bto inform and to network^and Bto improve quality of treatment and care^at the moment especially including aspects of sports, workability, employment and return to work [7,8].…”