"Cancer Rehab" Program Developed to Help Patients who Abandon Chemotherapy
One-third of cancer patients abandon chemotherapy prematurely because of the debilitating physical and psychological side effects. Chemotherapy side effects can devastate a patient's ability to perform every day physical tasks, deplete a patient's nutrient reserves, and severely impact quality of life. Often these patients are unable to resume treatment, either as advised by their doctors or their own personal choice. Typically, both can feel like a death sentence, and the patient is left with minimal quality of life. Cancer Rehab, which, not unlike the way cardiac rehab seeks to strengthen patients who have undergone treatment, fortifies patients physically and psychologically, enabling them to continue with an effective treatment program and better quality of life.
Evanston, IL (PRWEB) June 1, 2005 -- One-third of cancer patients abandon
chemotherapy prematurely because of the debilitating physical and psychological
side effects.
"Chemotherapy side effects can
devastate a patient's ability to perform every day physical tasks, deplete a
patient's nutrient reserves, and severely impact quality of life," explains
Penny Block, Executive Director and cofounder of the Block Center for
Integrative Cancer Care and Optimal Health. Often these patients are unable to
resume treatment, either as advised by their doctors or their own personal
choice. Typically, both can feel like a death sentence, and the patient is left
with minimal quality of life. "That is why we created Cancer Rehab, which, not
unlike the way cardiac rehab seeks to strengthen patients who have undergone
treatment, fortifies patients physically and psychologically, enabling them to
continue with an effective treatment program and better quality of life," said
Penny. "Cancer Rehab includes clinically sound integrative approaches such as
therapeutic nutrition, physical therapy, body work and yoga, mind/spirit and
vital living strategies, drug and non-drug pain therapy as needed and agreed
upon, and other life-enhancing modalities. Through careful assessment, the Block
Center team develops individualized programs that best address the needs of each
patient. This provides improved chances to help reclaim one's strength and life
quality."
As Dr. Keith I. Block, the Center's cofounder and Medical and
Scientific Director describes, "What we know is that each chemotherapy treatment
wastes select micronutrients with corresponding clinical consequences. For
example, Cisplatin depletes the body's magnesium stores. This not only places a
patient's immune system under duress, but it also can lead to kidney damage and,
at times, even kidney failure. Part of Cancer Rehab involves doing specific lab
testing to assess loss of this and other critical nutrients. The goal is not
only to replace these losses, but also to intervene before a patient's nutrients
nosedive, helping reduce toxicity and side-effects."
One of the Block
Center's many Cancer Rehab success stories is Susanne Markusfeld, who was so
weakened by her head and neck cancer and extensive medical interventions that
her doctors discontinued all treatments, offering no other options. Markusfeld
contacted the Block Center and immediately began treatment, initially focused on
reducing her pain, rebuilding her physical strength and improving her emotional
stamina. Dr. Block designed an individualized, comprehensive plan of care after
carefully assessing her medical condition and evaluating each area of her
health. Her personalized Cancer Rehab regimen included: integrative pain
management protocol, mind-spirit strategies, therapeutic exercise, including
yoga and chi gong (Asian healing practices), and supplementation to bolster her
nutritional deficiencies. Prior to coming to Block, Markusfeld could barely
stand; within a few weeks of starting her Cancer Rehab program she was able to
walk up five flights of stairs. She continued to get stronger, and within a
couple of weeks, was able to restart cancer treatment. Even more remarkably,
recent PET scans demonstrated a 50 percent reduction in the size of her
tumor.
In addition to patients like Markusfeld, Cancer
Rehab is also used for a second type of patient: People in advanced, late stages
of cancer. "Many of these patients can still reclaim meaningful quality of life,
reducing pain and improving activities of daily living," explained Dr. Block.
"Some of these patients, if not yet in clinical need of hospice, may still be
able to undergo low invasive approaches to slow or stabilize growth. Even when
there is a more severe physical decline, we find that it is still possible to
enhance a patient's quality of living."
"We respond
to what these patients want and need, with a meaningful plan of care, guided by
the patients' values," Penny explains. According to Dr. Block, "Particularly
with advancing disease, it is important to recognize that it must be the patient
who chooses the rehab potential, not the doctors or clinical staff. We
compassionately explain realistic expectations with each patient and family
member, always attempting to recognize and give voice to their personal
goals."
Cancer Rehab is also used for a third type of patient: cancer
survivors. According to 2001 estimates, there are almost 10 million cancer
survivors in the United States. Most of these people have received treatment and
are in remission. But once their treatments were completed, they were
disconnected from care, returning only for annual or semi-annual checkups.
Without counseling and support, most of these people resume their dietary and
life style patterns that made them more vulnerable to cancer and cancer
progression in the first place, and far too often, experience cancer recurrence
as a result. In addition, many of these people experience a profound
post-treatment fatigue, some decline in cognitive function and well-being, and
suffer continuing fears of cancer recurrence. Most of these patients have no
personalized, active plan to regain control of their health, restore vitality,
and to avoid the reappearance of cancer.
And research supports this type
of continuation of care. Researchers have found there to be a positive
psychological impact on patients who are able to maintain a role in their health
restoration and maintenance. Though difficult to quantify, researchers believe
that the sense of empowerment that results from a patient taking part in his or
her treatment plan has a very positive impact on the patient's health and
well-being.
The Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care and Optimal
Health was founded in 1980 by Penny and Keith Block, M.D. with a focus on
treating the patient as a whole person, not treating just the diagnosis or
symptoms. The Center's research-based treatment integrates an innovative
approach to the best of conventional medicine with scientifically sound
complementary therapies -- therapeutic nutrition, botanical and phytonutrient
supplementation, prescriptive exercise, and systematic mind-body strategies --
to enhance the recovery process. Block has pioneered this "middle ground"
approach to cancer care and optimal health – designing a total treatment plan
that is tailored to the precise needs of each patient, using a unique set of
clinical and laboratory assessments. The Block Center is breaking new ground
with the creation and development of Cancer Rehab as an innovative treatment
modality, and currently is the only private North American medical center using
chrono-modulated chemotherapy. While the Block Center is a full treatment
clinic, it is involved in collaborative research with M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center in Houston, Texas as a Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) and is
also engaged in clinical cancer research with other university facilities in the
United States and Israel.
1. Newell S., Sanson-Fisher RW, Girgis A.,
Bonaventura, A. Cancer, 1998, Oct. 15; 83(8): 1640-51.
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/6/prweb246223.htm