WHAT IS PREHABILITATION Cancer prehabilitation may not common, but maybe it should be. For anyone having surgery, whether it’s replacement of a knee joint or removal of a cancerous tumour, some type of rehabilitation is expected as a part of the recovery process. But prehabilitation programs before treatment also are proving to be a big help to all kinds of cancer patients. Cancer prehab is an emerging field that takes place before surgery or other treatment begins. Prehabilitation programs aim to help patients build endurance, cardiovascular health, and strength to prepare their bodies for the stress of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. GAINING ACCEPTANCE A growing number of oncologists now are recommending a program of prehabilitation for cancer patients before they begin their treatment. Cancer prehab may involve exercises or counselling to promote healthy eating habits. But it’s more than that. In a full prehabilitation program, patients undergo a physical and psychological assessment to determine if there are any conditions or diseases in addition to cancer that might affect cancer treatment or recovery. According to one study, there is a good chance a cancer patient does have other health challenges. That study, done in 2015, found that between 65 percent and 90 percent of cancer patients had at least one health condition in addit
August 4, 2018