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Review
. 2022;10(4):339-344.
doi: 10.1007/s40141-022-00373-4. Epub 2022 Nov 28.

Establishing a Cancer Rehabilitation Service in a Middle-Income Country: an Experience from Brazil

Victor F Leite  1 , Rebeca Boltes Cecatto  1   2 , Linamara Rizzo Battistella  3   4 , Christina May Moran de Brito  1   5
Affiliations
Review

Establishing a Cancer Rehabilitation Service in a Middle-Income Country: an Experience from Brazil

Victor F Leite et al. Curr Phys Med Rehabil Rep. 2022.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Our aim is to provide a historical review of the implementation of a cancer rehabilitation center in Brazil, active since 2008. We expect this data to support the implementation of other centers both in Brazil and worldwide.

Recent findings: Cancer rehabilitation delivery is fragmented and punctuated in most cases, and cancer rehabilitation centers are rare. Data on how to establish rehabilitation centers could facilitate the implementation of new centers. We provide data on what was our strategy for hiring, establishing treatment protocols, barriers, and facilitators. We also provide figures on the number of each rehabilitation specialist, as well as the general standard operating procedures of our rehabilitation center, among other features.

Summary: Establishing cancer rehabilitation centers in a middle-income country is feasible. We expect that our experience may facilitate the establishment of new cancer rehabilitation services and the improvement of current ones.

Keywords: Brazil; Cancer rehabilitation; Health facilities; Middle-income country; Rehabilitation center; Rehabilitation program.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of InterestThe authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Rehabilitation Center of the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo of the University of São Paulo School of Medicine
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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