Dedicated Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation care for cancer patients

It takes innovation and determination to deliver effective, personalized treatment that addresses each patient’s unique pain and physical limitations. For more than 50 years, Ohio State’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) has been a leader in caring for people with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke, as well as cancer.

• Ohio State PM&R is one of the few programs in the nation offering a continuum of care that seamlessly transitions treatment for cancer patients from inpatient to outpatient settings.
• We are one of only 10 inpatient oncology programs in the nation accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) — the first in Ohio and second in the United States to obtain this status.
• Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital, Ohio State’s acute inpatient rehabilitation facility, is also ranked the #1 rehabilitation hospital in Ohio by Newsweek.
• The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), one of 51 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the U.S., features an embedded cancer rehabilitation and interventional pain management program to start patients on a path to recovery sooner than most cancer programs.
• We are committed to further accelerating progress through training.
  • Our new Cancer Rehabilitation fellowship is one of only nine in the nation.
  • Our PM&R residency program, with seven residents per year, is currently ranked 24th in the nation.
  • All trainees learn through hands-on experience with the latest interventions, including extensive education in musculoskeletal ultrasound and electromyography to monitor the function of muscles, tendons and nerves.

Better access. Advanced treatment. Improved outcomes.

At Ohio State, we are committed to facilitating easier access to the latest physical medicine interventions for cancer pain management and rehabilitation in a setting that is responsive, comprehensive and integrated among specialties. Such a coordinated approach can minimize side effects, speed recovery and lead to better outcomes.

“The broad range of available treatment options means we can relieve pain and improve our patients’ function with the fewest side effects possible,” says Whitney Luke, MD, interim chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She notes that many cancer patients from outside Ohio have been referred to Ohio State for its advanced or alternative treatment choices.

Reducing or eliminating pain

Any individual struggling with neuropathy or nerve pain; muscle, joint and bone pain; or post-surgical pain can benefit from the program’s breadth of pain treatment options.

Depending on the patient’s challenges, a care plan may include medication, technology-based intervention, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological support from a counselor or pain psychologist and integrative medicine, such as acupuncture or massage therapy.

Of particular note are the program’s opioid-sparing therapies, as well as neuromodulation techniques that work directly on the nerves to alter pain signaling pathways, including:

• Spinal cord stimulation – an implanted device that uses electrical stimulation to block pain signals traveling up the spinal cord
• Neurolysis or nerve ablation – a technique that deadens targeted nerves, keeping them from sending pain signals to the brain
• Intrathecal pain pump – a pump implanted into the abdomen to deliver continuous medication at lower doses into the spinal fluid space, making it an appropriate choice for many people who can’t tolerate higher dosing due to side effects such as nausea, vomiting and fatigue
• Epidural steroid injections – a medicated solution that suppresses pain signals from inflamed spinal nerves

Restoring independence

Many patients with cancer may experience functional deficits in cognition or physical ability, including fatigue, balance issues, weakness and reduced range of motion.

“If someone is functionally very different than they were prior to their cancer diagnosis, our goal is to improve their ability to function so that they can go home and enjoy their independence,” Luke says.

As we do when addressing pain, Ohio State’s PM&R team designs individual cancer recovery programs using the full range of available services and treatment options.

• Intensive rehabilitation can start in the hospital with up to three hours of focused therapy at our CARF-certified Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital. This can continue following discharge with ongoing communication among therapists, referring physicians and other members of the PM&R team.
• Patients with cancers that weaken the bone, such as bone metastasis and multiple myeloma, may develop compression fractures in the spine. In these cases, Ohio State can perform a vertebroplasty. If a patient has a collapse of the vertebra in the back because of a cancerous lesion, physicians can inject cement to stabilize the bone and prevent it from collapsing any further.

Rebuilding lives

“A cancer diagnosis is scary and often overwhelming. Many people don’t relish the idea of yet more treatment because they’re already been through so much,” Luke says. “But once patients with pain or deficits have their evaluation and get their therapy, procedure or pain control implant, they’re relieved and usually very happy with the outcome.”

This opportunity to help patients rebuild their lives is what motivates Ohio State’s entire team in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

If you have a patient who could benefit from our approach, we welcome consultations and online referrals. If you need help or have any questions, please call Shelly Gregory at 614-293-3343.

Patients are also encouraged to schedule an appointment directly by calling 614-366-9211.

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