Rehabilitation for elderly patients with cancer asthenia: making a transition to palliative care.

The transition from curative to palliative care for elderly patients with cancer-related asthenia presents complex challenges to oncologists. A result of this complexity is a lack of regard for the maintenance of physical and mental function. This study examined the effects of comprehensive, multidisciplinary, inpatient rehabilitation on the physical and mental function of elderly cancer patients with asthenia.

Functional recovery in cancer rehabilitation.

Objective: To assess the impact of inpatient rehabilitation on the motor and cognitive functional status of cancer patients, and to determine whether cancer diagnosis, rehabilitation impairment, physician-determined rehabilitation goals, and active cytotoxic treatment affect the magnitude of functional improvement.

Design And Setting: A retrospective, case series of patients with an oncology diagnosis undergoing inpatient rehabilitation at a rehabilitation hospital.

Participants: A sample of 200 patients admitted for rehabilitation services due to disability resulting from impairments caused by cancer or its treatment.

Osteoporosis management: physicians' recommendations and womens' compliance following osteoporosis testing.

Physicians use several pharmaceutical agents (e.g., hormone replacement therapy [HRT], calcitonin, bisphosphonates, calcium, and vitamin D) to manage osteoporosis.