Functional recovery in cancer rehabilitation

Objective: To assess the impact of inpatient rehabilitation on the motor an d cognitive functional status of cancer patients, and to determine whether cancer diagnosis, rehabilitation impair ment, physician-determined rehabili tation goals, and active cytotoxic treatment affect the magnitude of functi onal improvement. Design and Setting: A retrospective, case series of patients with an oncolo gy diagnosis undergoing inpatient rehabilitation at a rehabilitation hospit al. Participants: A sample of 200 patients admitted for rehabilitation services due to disability resulting from impairments caused by cancer or its treat ment. Intervention: Comprehensive multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation. Outcome Measures: Function status was measured using the motor and cognitiv e measures of the Functional Independence Measure. Results: All patients made significant gains in motor function regardless o f diagnostic group, rehabilitation impairment group, rehabilitation goal gr oup, and cytotoxic treatment status. The magnitude of motor function gain w as not equivalent across all impairments and rehabilitation goals. Signific ant gains in cognitive function were made by all patients except those with intracranial neoplasms, central nervous system dysfunction, and palliative rehabilitation goals. Conclusion: Inpatient rehabilitation can improve both motor and cognitive f unction in patients with disability resulting from impairments caused by ca ncer or its treatment.