Need to integrate rehab services into cancer treatment: study

Research published in the Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ (RACP) Internal Medicine Journal (IMJ) suggests that supervised exercise programs are beneficial to easing cancer-related fatigue (CRF).

The chronic condition impacts up to 60% of all cancer patients, a figure which lead author and University of Adelaide Associate Professor Anupam Datta Gupta said also applies to the percentage of survivors without access to rehabilitation services to improve health outcomes.

“We are increasingly getting better at helping patients survive cancer, but we are not helping them cope with some of the side effects of cancer and cancer-related treatment.”

The study followed 268 cancer patients in a private hospital in Adelaide. Patients participated in a three-month supervised exercise program. Patients attended the sessions twice a week under the supervision of physicians, exercise physiologists and nurses. Data was collected over a five-year period from 2015 to 2020.

Twice a week patients would attend a group session at a hospital for approximately two hours supervised by healthcare works, which over time the study found directly linked to improvements in emotional wellbeing and quality of life in the patients.

“We found patients reported a significant decrease in fatigue at the conclusion of the three-month program,” Datta Gupta said, however concluded the need to “… integrate rehabilitation services into cancer treatment”.

Datta Gupta said the hospital system is not investing enough resources into dealing with cancer-related fatigue.

“Right now, there are guidelines urging patients to exercise, but we know the majority of Australians with cancer still do not meet daily recommended exercise targets.

“This is not good enough. We need to integrate rehabilitation services into cancer treatment.

“Our research showed that a targeted and supervised exercise regime that takes place in a hospital setting can clearly help cancer survivors. It substantially improved their mental and physical health as well as treating their chronic fatigue.”

The study concluded that although Australians have some of the highest cancer-related survival rates, the post-treatment plans require further investment from the health system.

Image credit: iStock.com/CentralITAlliance