The development of a rehabilitation program for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26282156
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: NAKANO Jiro 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 准教授 (20380834)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石井 瞬 長崎大学, 病院(医学系), 技術職員 (20437859) ; 坂本 淳哉 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 准教授 (20584080) ; 沖田 実 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(保健学科), 教授 (50244091)
• Research Collaborator: FUKUSHIMA Takuya ; KAWACHI Haruna
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: がん / リハビリテーション / 理学療法学 / 運動療法 / 骨格筋 / 温熱療法 / 低強度 / 運動機能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of the study was to prepare the program of rehabilitation for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy/radiotherapy. The first, the effects of heat stimulation for skeletal muscle were clarified using model rats as the assistant of muscle training. The second, factors affecting muscle strength in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy/radiotherapy were investigated. It was shown that fatigue was an important factor in patients with solid tumors, while anemia was an important factor in patients with hematological malignancies. On the basis of these results, a rehabilitation program with low-intensity exercise for cancer patients was suggested and the effects of that were examined. Our program was effective for improving physical functions and several symptoms when the program performed with high frequency: it might be become one of useful treatment strategies for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy/radiotherapy who cannot be adopted with the usual rehabilitation.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション学