The role of oncological rehabilitation in the care of cancer patients

Cancer diagnosis and treatment impose significant physical and psychological burdens on patients, making prehabilitation and rehabilitation essential components of modern oncological care. Prehabilitation prepares patients before treatment, while rehabilitation supports recovery and reintegration into everyday life. Over time, cancer rehabilitation has evolved into a multidisciplinary approach that integrates physical, psychological, and social interventions. Rehabilitation improves patients’ quality of life, alleviates pain, cancer-related fatigue, cognitive and mood disorders, and addresses incontinence, sexual dysfunction, lymphedema, and neuropathy. Patients benefit from rehabilitation across all stages of the disease, from diagnosis to end-of-life care. Effective rehabilitation requires multidisciplinary teamwork, personalized programs, and evidence-based interventions. Despite ongoing challenges in accessibility and funding, scientific evidence clearly supports the critical role of rehabilitation programs in enhancing quality of life and survival outcomes for cancer patients.