Oncology physical therapy assists individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer to recover from these impairments – and in some cases to help prevent them all together! Our goal, as oncologic physical therapists, is to help you optimize your physical function, independence, and overall quality of life.
Any level of exercise during and after cancer treatment can reduce side effects, help your body recover, and fight depression. Research from the American Society of Clinical Oncology has shown that physical activity can also lower the risk of cancer returning.
Despite the many benefits of physical therapy, it is often underutilized in the oncology setting. There is often a lack of consensus as to when (or even if) to initiate an exercise program during treatment. Additionally, the use of drugs as first-line treatment “may marginalize the benefits of exercise,” he added.
Many common impairments in patients with cancer are musculoskeletal—an area in which physical therapists are knowledgeable. One study compared the musculoskeletal knowledge of physical therapists with that of a large number of specialty physician groups, and only orthopedic surgeons scored higher than physical therapists (Childs et al., 2005; Figure 1).
One area in which physical therapists can be useful is in managing cancer-related fatigue. Fatigue is experienced by up to 90% of patients treated with radiation therapy and up to 80% of those treated with chemotherapy; it may already be present in 40% of patients at diagnosis (Hofman, Ryan, Figueroa-Moseley, Jean-Pierre, & Morrow, 2007). The impact of fatigue on a patient’s quality of life, physical functioning, and ability to perform can be both profound and pervasive, explained Mr. Rizzo.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCCN) has developed guidelines for cancer-related fatigue, stating that exercise is the number one most effective nonpharmacologic intervention for this problem. The NCCN recommends physical therapy for patients with co-morbidities, recent surgeries, functional and anatomic deficits, and substantial de-conditioning.
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