Rehabilitation Oncology Program

When a person is having limitations in everyday functioning from a health condition such as cancer, or has an injury or trauma they are recovering from, rehabilitation can help.

Cancer rehabilitation involves many types of healthcare specialists working together to develop a personal plan that considers your preferences, strengths and goals.

Types of cancer rehabilitation specialists include:

Physiatrists

Physiatrists are doctors who specialize in rehabilitation medicine. Their focus is on helping you move, function, and live as well as possible during and after cancer treatment. They look at the whole picture—your pain, strength, energy, mobility, and daily activities—to understand how cancer or its treatments are affecting your life.

In a cancer rehabilitation program, physiatrists:

• Assess your symptoms and physical abilities, including pain, weakness, balance, and nerve-related issues and arrange additional tests such as bloodwork, imaging and nerve studies if needed

• Create personalized treatment plans to help you improve mobility, reduce discomfort, and regain independence.

• Coordinate your rehabilitation team, which may include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, and others.

• Prescribe and adjust medications, exercise programs, injections and other treatments to support your recovery.

• Monitor your progress over time and update your plan as your needs change.

Their goal is to help you feel better, function better, and maintain the best possible quality of life throughout your cancer journey.

Pharmacists 

Pharmacists are medication experts who help make sure the treatments you take are safe, effective, and right for you. In a cancer rehabilitation program, pharmacists work closely with physiatrists to support your recovery.

They can help assess your symptoms, recommend or adjust medications for pain, nerve issues, fatigue, or other rehabilitation concerns, and watch for side effects. They also help with dosage changes, switching medications when needed, and checking in regularly to see how you’re doing. Their goal is to help you feel better, function better, and stay safe throughout your rehab journey.

Occupational Therapists

Occupational Therapy (OT) helps to solve problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do things that are important to them, including everyday things like self-care, going to work/ school and leisure/ social activities.

Physiotherapists

Physiotherapy (PT) can help you regain, maintain or increase strength and movement in key parts of your body, or adjust to new physical disability and how to maximize your function within limitations.

Speech Language Pathologists

Speech Language Pathology (SLP) can help with speech production, language, feeding and swallowing changes.

The cancer rehabilitation services available at various Cancer Care Alberta sites can benefit all people with cancer who experience a change in quality of life after diagnosis, including all types and stages of cancer.

To access these specialists:

Ask your oncologist or search “Rehabilitation Oncology” online on the Alberta Referral Directory. 

A physician referral is required.