Cancer Rehabilitation

Cancer patients have specific rehabilitation needs. The primary effects of cancer can lead to significant disability, as can many cancer treatments including radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Typical problems include pain, fatigue, general debility, nutritional deficiency, skin breakdown, bowel or bladder problems and impaired psychosocial functioning.

The best way to treat a disability is to prevent it from occurring. Johns Hopkins rehabilitation professionals work closely with oncologists to plan and deliver rehabilitative care before disability occurs. Properly timed interventions can lessen the debilitating effects of cancer and its treatment.

The best results are achieved when a comprehensive functional assessment is performed at the time of cancer staging. Hopkins physiatrists (rehabilitation physicians) perform this assessment and make recommendations directly to the oncologists. Our rehab team then helps to manage patients throughout the course of their disease, from cancer staging to hospitalization to recovery.

 Rehabilitative strategies may include:

• Exercise to maintain strength and endurance
• Flexibility enhancement exercises
• Advanced pain management techniques
• Orthotic and prosthetic interventions where needed
• Expert diagnosis and management of problems with swallowing and/or speech function
• Rapid assessment and treatment of bowel and bladder dysfunction
• Retraining for activities of daily living
• Adaptive equipment training
• Psychosocial interventions to decrease anxiety (relaxation techniques)
• Home modification
• Family/caregiver training

Johns Hopkins offers the following advantages to meet the rehabilitation needs of cancer patients: 

• A special clinic, staffed by Hopkins rehabilitation professionals, for patients in whom graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurs after bone marrow transplantation
• Comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation for patients who require intensive inpatient treatment from a multidisciplinary team of specialists
• Expertise of Johns Hopkins oncologists and allied health care professionals in advanced and experimental cancer therapies
• Physiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists with specialized training in the care of cancer patients and management of their unique needs

For more information, please call 410-532-4700 or 410-614-4030.

For therapy services, please call 410-614-3234 or 410-955-6214.

To arrange a consultation, call any of our offices.