As survival rates are increasing, cancer rehabilitation is an important part in the treatment and care of cancer patients [Citation1,Citation2]. 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 Rehabilitation – with competencies in diagnostic and therapy as well as of coordination of the multi-professional and interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams – for cancer rehabilitation [Citation2].
In their review from an international perspective, Smith et al. mention cancer rehabilitation to be an essential component of quality care and cancer survivorship. The authors conclude that cancer rehabilitation and survivorship care are needed to improve health care quality, and that oncology endeavours should include a plan for the rehabilitation of cancer survivors to reduce morbidity and healthcare cost [Citation3].
Hobusch et al. assessed sports activity levels in long-term survivors of soft-tissue sarcomas after multimodal treatment including limb salvaging surgical resection and radio-chemotherapy. They were able to show that healthy long-term survivors of soft-tissue sarcomas can achieve high levels of sports activity following limb salvage after soft-tissue sarcomas [Citation4]. Keilani and coworkers studied the acceptance and feasibility of a group-exercise intervention by using a hand-held swinging-ring system in Viennese breast cancer patients of Turkish origin. They detected notable barriers towards regular physical activity in this group of migrants suffering from breast cancer, and therefore suggest to further address these barriers in order to plan and implement physical activity interventions [Citation5]. By systematically reviewing the relevant scientific literature, Hasenoehrl et al. were able to evaluate that strength exercise seems not to have any negative effects on lymphedema status or might not increase the risk of development of (a new) lymphedema in breast cancer patients [Citation6]. In their systematic review, Palma et al. focused on the noninvasive evaluation of autonomic dysfunction in cancer patients by using heart rate variability (HRV). They conclude that supportive therapy modalities may have the potential to enhance vegetative functioning, and that HRV analysis appears to be an easily applicable and safe method to evaluate cancer related autonomic dysfunction in this context [Citation7].
As you can see, the Austrian community of physiatrists working (“triple track” – clinical, teaching, research) in the field of cancer rehabilitation is a small but quite effective group and their cancer rehabilitation concepts aim to improve functional status, quality of life, and participation of patients. Cancer rehabilitation has to be early integrated into the cancer care continuum to help cancer survivors to be integrated in their normal live. Future (outcome) research should focus on the effectiveness and efficiency of cancer rehabilitation.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
References
- Crevenna R. Cancer Rehabilitation and palliative care-two important parts of comprehensive cancer care. Support Care Cancer. 2015;23:3407–3408.
- Crevenna R, Kainberger F, Wiltschke C, et al. Cancer rehabilitation – current trends and practices within an Austrian University Hospital Centre. Disabil Rehabil. 2018. in press.
- Smith SR, Zheng JY, Silver J, et al. Cancer rehabilitation as an essential component of quality care and survivorship from an international perspective. Disabil Rehabil. 2018. in press.
- Hobusch GM, Cernakova M, Puchner SE, et al. Sports activity after soft tissue sarcoma of the lower extremity. Disabil Rehabil. 2018. in press.
- Cenik F, Keilani M, Galid A, et al. First exercise group for Turkish breast cancer patients in Vienna – a pilot project to include Turkish Migrants. Disabil Rehabil. in press.
- Hasenoehrl T, Keilani M, Palma S, et al. Resistance exercise and breast cancer related lymphedema – a systematic review update. Disabil Rehabil. 2019. in press.
- Palma S, Keilani M, Hasenoehrl T, et al. Impact of supportive therapy modalities on heart rate variability in cancer patients – a systematic review. Disabil Rehabil. 2018. in press.