Cancer Rehabilitation Access Remains Limited Despite growing Programs & โคevidence, La Trobe Research Shows
Melbourne, Australia โ – Despite aโฃ notable increase in the number of cancer rehabilitation programs available in Australia and strong clinical recommendationsโข for exercise asโ part โof cancer care, access remains severely limited for survivors.Newโ research from La Trobeโข University highlights a criticalโข gap between evidence-basedโ practice and patient access too vitalโฃ rehabilitationโข services.
The number of cancerโ rehabilitation โฃprogramsโ across Australiaโ has more thanโข doubled, โคrising from 31 in 2015โ to โค76 in 2024. Thisโข growthโค coincides with guidelines from the Clinicalโ Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) recommending exercise asโ best practice in cancer care asโ 2018. though, Dr Amy Dennett, โa physiotherapist at Eastern Health and researcherโฃ at La Trobe’s School of Alliedโข Health, Human Services andโฃ Sport, reports โขthat currently โขonly one in 65 Australian cancer survivors can enroll in oncology rehabilitation annually.
“Exercise is oneโฃ of the most powerful toolsโ we have to help people recover from cancer,”โข Dr Dennett stated. “Mounting evidence demonstrates its key role in addressing the physical and psychological challenges faced โคby cancer survivors,including managing fatigue,mood,physicalโ function,and quality of life.”
Aโ recent survey revealed that 44% of respondents identified โa lack ofโ funding as a major challenge to the โคsustainability of these programs. Inโ 2024, increasing numbers of cancer survivors utilizing general rehabilitation programs (48%) and advocacy from oncologists (44%) where cited as โkey factors driving the establishmentโ of new oncology rehabilitation programs.
The research also suggests a โขpotential economicโค benefit โto increased access.Evidence indicates exercise during cancerโข treatmentโฃ can โreduce hospital admissionsโฃ and lengthโข of stay, โคpotentially easing the burden on the โhealthcare system.
Programs typically run โฃfor 11 โขweeks, three times โper week, and incorporateโฃ exercise alongsideโข education on nutrition, โคfatigue management, and self-management โฃstrategies. โ telehealth โคservices are becoming increasingly โcommon, with 45% of programs offering video conferencing and โค53% offering phone-based support, improving access for thoseโ inโข regional โand rural areas.
with over 500,000 โfive-year cancer survivors in Australia,the disease representsโข a significant health โburden. Dr Dennett pointsโฃ out a disparity in rehabilitationโฃ services, noting that cancer is now considered a chronic disease, yet referral pathwaysโ for oncology rehabilitation are lagging behind those for โฃcardiac or pulmonaryโ rehabilitation.Australia has approximatelyโข 400 cardiac and pulmonary โrehabilitation โservices – five times the number โขof oncology programs.
“This research shows there’s anโ urgent need for better funding,โข training โand referral pathwaysโ to ensure โmore cancer survivors benefit from โtailored oncology rehabilitation programs,” Dr Dennett โขconcluded.โ “Rehabilitation should be a core part of cancer care – not an optionalโข extra.”
The research was publishedโ with โDOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajco.70003.
Media enquiries:
Debora McInnes – d.mcinnes@latrobe.edu.au,โข 0487 448 734
