"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.

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