Cancer rehabilitation in the private sector: Establishing a cancer rehabilitation program for women with early stage breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women living in Australia, accounting for 27% of all diagnoses in 2007. It was also the leading cause of burden of disease for females in 2010. Previous research has highlighted the utility of cancer rehabilitation programs for a range of tumour streams including breast cancer. The aim of cancer rehabilitation is to improve physical, social and psychological outcomes during and after treatment. Based on the end of treatment program for early stage breast cancer 'Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow' conducted at Cabrini Health, a private hospital in Melbourne, a pilot breast cancer rehabilitation program has been developed to address the rehabilitation needs of women with early stage breast cancer. The program will function as an adjunct to the existing rehabilitation service and has a physical reconditioning and psycho-education component. In this paper the establishment of the program will be described and data on the outcomes of the first three months presented.