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Cancer patients undergoing major interventions face numerous challenges, including the adverse effects of cancer and the side effects of treatment. Cancer rehabilitation is vital in ensuring cancer patients have the support they need to maximise treatment outcomes and minimise treatment-related side effects and symptoms. The Active Together service is a multi-modal rehabilitation service designed to address critical support gaps for cancer patients. The service is located and provided in Sheffield, UK, an area with higher cancer incidence and mortality rates than the national average. The service aligns with local and regional cancer care objectives and aims to improve the clinical and quality-of-life outcomes of cancer patients by using lifestyle behaviour-change techniques to address their physical, nutritional, and psychological needs. This paper describes the design and initial implementation of the Active Together service, highlighting its potential to support and benefit cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. The disease itself and the treatment can have far reaching effects on speech and swallow function, which are consistently prioritised by survivors as an area of concern. This paper provides recommendations on the assessments and interventions for speech and swallow rehabilitation in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Penile cancer is an uncommon, gender-specific, malignancy that has the potential to profoundly affect physical, social, sexual and psychological functions. For most patients the method of treatment is surgery. The degree of surgical intervention is dependent on the stage of the disease at presentation. To date, relatively little is known about the impact of penile cancer surgery on psychological function and overall quality of life in men. Understanding the outcomes of treatment will influence the development of optimal methods of rehabilitation. This paper provides an outline of the context of two reviews of the existing literature: (i) a systematic review of the quantitative literature and (ii) a meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature. The implications for clinical practice, and an outline of forthcoming research are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Many cancer survivors experience difficulties returning to work. However, there have been relatively few attempts to understand why problems with employer support and work adjustment occur. This paper aims to extend previous work in two ways: first, through exploring the way in which communication and support at work effect cancer survivors on their return to work and during the post-return period; and second, by drawing on a research sample working in the United Kingdom. Methods: In all, 26 cancer survivors took part in a semi-structured telephone interview. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The analysis revealed three key findings. First, the central role of communication and support from (and between) occupational health, line managers, and colleagues was highlighted. Second, two discrete processes or periods of return to work were identified: the experience of return to work during the initial period of return and the experiences of post-return to work. Third, during the post-return period, the importance of the delayed impact of cancer on the ability to work, the lack of follow-up and monitoring, and the wear-off effect of empathy and support were highlighted as contributing to return-to-work difficulties. Conclusions: This qualitative study highlights the importance of communication within the workplace with regard to the return-to-work process and the need to provide better support and guidance to cancer survivors, line managers and colleagues. Research is required in delineating how employers without occupational health or human resources support manage the return-to-work process. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The primary objective of this paper is to consider whether holiday taking may have a role to play post diagnosis/treatment, within the rehabilitation process for cancer patients. Method: A qualitative study was undertaken. Informants consisted of cancer patients (n = 24), their family members (n = 13) and friends (n = 2), consultants (n = 2) pediatric oncology nurses (n = 2), social workers (n = 52), a voluntary services coordinator (n = 51), and a play specialist (n = 1). All were accessed through four facilitators at Christie Hospital, National Health Service Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom. Data were collected via interviews, telephone discussions, letters, personal accounts, and health diaries between January 2000 and March 2001. Questions were as ked regarding the perceived effects of travel during serious illness, travel propensity, and factors inhibiting full participation. Results: Benefits to health and well being, particularly of a sociopsychological nature, were identified. Such benefits impacted upon personal health, social effectiveness, personal identity, self-image, independence, future career prospects, and personal behavior. Factors inhibiting travel included the side effects of treatment, other peoples' reactions to the visible signs of cancer (e.g., hair loss, surgical scars), inflated insurance costs, a lack of holiday information sources, and communication issues (e.g., language barriers). Conclusions: Holiday taking offers a vehicle for transcending illness, even if only for a short period of time. Travel offered a range of therapeutic opportunities as well as providing a necessary means of escapism. Promoting travel as part of the rehabilitation process may well generate more intrinsic benefits than are currently appreciated. Such benefits may also be of broader application to patients facing other similarly complex illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Two million people in the UK had a cancer diagnosis at the end of 2008. Understanding the number of people diagnosed with cancer with and without health needs is valuable information that can be used to inform service planning, treatment provision and support for people at the right time in the right place as demand grows over time.Methods: Using available data and clinically led assumptions about patient need and outcomes, we make indicative estimates. We quantify, for three common cancers, the number of people in each of the five main identified phases of the cancer care pathway.Results: Estimates are provided for each phase of the pathway for breast, colorectal and lung cancers. We estimate that there are nearly 575,000 women a year with breast cancer in the care pathway at some point in the year, 8% are in the rehabilitation phase and 4% in the progressive illness phase. This compares to nearly 270,000 with colorectal and around 95,000 with lung cancer.Conclusion: Using readily available data, we estimate the numbers of patients with different health needs. These numbers could inform the targeting of resources for service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that various charities across the Great Britain have urged the government to improve the availability of and access to specialist return-to-work services for the 700000 people of working age living with cancer.