Long-Term Survivorship Care After Cancer Treatment: A New Emphasis on the Role of Rehabilitation Services

Abstract

In May 2018, the National Cancer Policy Forum (NCPF) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) released a report, Long-Term Survivorship Care After Cancer Treatment: Proceedings of Workshop. NCPF-published reports have historically played a significant role in driving policy and payment model changes in oncology care, in addition to raising awareness about the needs of individuals with cancer. This 2018 report provides a specific set of recommendations for improving symptom management and rehabilitation that suggest the integration of rehabilitation services at the point of cancer diagnosis and throughout the continuum of cancer care to effectively screen for and manage the anticipated functional morbidity associated with cancer treatment. The specificity of these recommendations is of significant relevance to the physical therapy profession and should encourage bold steps to effectively increase the presence of physical therapists as members of interdisciplinary cancer care teams. The profession must act to implement models of prospective care, develop targeted education and training initiatives to assure the knowledge and skills of our workforce for this complex population, and augment the current evidence base with greater attention to health services research aiming to understand the effectiveness of rehabilitation services in improving costs, utilization, and meaningful functional outcomes.

Older Adults with Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Occupational and Physical Therapy

“…Comprehensive therapist training, even cancer rehabilitation certification, could render better results. There is increasing interest in the role of cancer rehabilitation in national programs to provide nonpharmacologic interventions for survivors, to educate and certify specialists, and to test cancer rehabilitation services in the community . With more therapists specializing in cancer rehabilitation, this could ease the triage bottleneck to allow for decreased wait times for appointments and more targeted therapeutic interventions.…”

“…There is increasing interest in the role of cancer rehabilitation in national programs to provide nonpharmacologic interventions for survivors, 53 to educate and certify specialists, and to test cancer rehabilitation services in the community. 54 With more therapists specializing in cancer rehabilitation, this could ease the triage bottleneck to allow for decreased wait times for appointments and more targeted therapeutic interventions. We also recommend studying and adding caregivers as a patient-and family-centered practice and intervention because both the caregiver and older cancer patient may need OT/PT attention.…”

Creating a teachable moment in community pharmacy for men with prostate cancer: A qualitative study of lifestyle changes

“…Men in this study were on average 1.5 years from initial diagnosis, and this highlights the longevity of the treatment phase in those with prostate cancer. Recovery pathway recommendations propose that lifestyle interventions are provided from diagnosis and at multiple stages through the treatment trajectory . Developing the assessment as a sensory experience was found to be critical to how men perceived their fitness and need for behaviour change.…”

“…Recovery pathway recommendations propose that lifestyle interventions are provided from diagnosis and at multiple stages through the treatment trajectory. 34 Developing the assessment as a sensory experience was found to be critical to how men perceived their fitness and need for behaviour change. Many lifestyle interventions use self-report questionnaires, and this study highlights the power of a functional assessment experience and feedback in influencing men's beliefs.…”

Effects of early rehabilitation treatment on the functional recovery and quality of life in patients three months after breast cancer surgery

“…Facts of the available literature show that in most of the patients that underwent surgery there are one or two functional disorders. The limitation of the shoulder joint movement is one of the most common complications [9,10,11].…”