Objective
To identify and evaluate the outcome of consultation base rehabilitatiion program and the site of primary lesions of the hospitalized cancer patients.
Method: Medical records of 119 hospitalized patients with cancer who received the consultation base rehabilitation program from January 1999 to December 2000, were reviewed. Karnofsky Performance Status scale (KPSS) was used as a functional measurement.
Results: The most common primary cancer referred for the consultation base rehabilitation program was a lung cancer (16.8%), followed by brain cancer (10.9%) and hepatic cancer (9.2%). Spine was the most common metastatic site (72.7%). Strengthening (47.2%) and range of motion exercises (39.6%) were commonly prescribed rehabilitative procedures in the cancer patients with no metastasis and bracing (45.5%) was the most common cause for consultation in the cancer patients with metastasis. A significant functional improvement was observed between the initial (mean=58.4%) and final assessments (mean=65.2%) on KPSS (p＜0.01) in the cancer patients with no metastasis. However, the cancer patients with metastasis did not show a significant functional improvement.
Conclusion: Significant functional gains were observed in cancer patients who received the consultation base rehabilitation program. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2003; 27: 260-264)
