Annual Report 2021

Department of Rehabilitation

Nanako Hijikata, Junya Ueno, Yoshie Ino, Yu Koishiwara, Tsuyoshi Harada, Nobuko Konishi, Keiko Sato, Kanako Miyazaki, Motoki Tanaka, Takumi Yanagisawa

Introduction

 The Department of Musculoskeletal Oncology and Rehabilitation at NCCHE began in 2012 as a team consisting of a panel of orthopedic surgeons and rehabilitation specialists. In 2021, a specialized physician came to expand our rehabilitation delivery system, and our rehabilitation delivery system for cancer patients has been further improved. We strive to provide specialized interdisciplinary care for a variety of tumors and offer comprehensive rehabilitation services. Currently, one rehabilitation physician and nine rehabilitation staff members are involved in the treatment of a variety of patients with the help of other medical staff at NCCHE.

The Team and What We Do

 The outpatient service is generally open every day for cancer patients with various rehabilitation needs. In addition, patients with bone metastasis or brain metastatic disease are treated daily in consultation with other oncologists. In September 2014, we opened a spacious and fully equipped rehabilitation room to reduce the side effects of cancer treatment, such as fatigue, weakness, decreased endurance, pain, nausea, anxiety, depression, and loss of confidence. A rehabilitation room has been established. As a result, many patients were rehabilitated in 2021 (Table 1).

Table 1. Characteristics and number of patients enrolled for rehabilitation.

Research activities

 We have established common standard methods of physical therapy and functional assessment with the goal of providing uninterrupted rehabilitative care to elderly cancer patients after invasive cancer surgery.

Education

 We have been engaging in several educational lectures for the medical staff to promote the importance of rehabilitation for cancer treatment. We also provide some instructive lectures for the medical staff in the community.

Future Prospects

 The recent evolution of cancer treatment has increased the demand for rehabilitative treatment for cancer survivors. We must consistently focus on standardizing rehabilitation methods for all cancer patients to improve their quality of life.