Rehabilitation and Recovery for Persons With Esophageal or Gastric Cancer

Rehabilitation and Recovery for Persons With Esophageal or Gastric Cancer - a Clinical Trial Evaluating and Implementing a Model for Evidence-based Cancer Rehabilitation

This study aims to develop and evaluate a model for systematic and evidence-based cancer rehabilitation for people with esophageal and gastric cancer to provide conditions for a better quality of life and fewer cancer-related symptoms.

Sweden has had a National Cancer Rehabilitation Programme since 2014. This emphasises that all people with cancer have the right to individualised rehabilitation and that the contact nurse has an important role to play in identifying needs and ensuring evidence-based interventions throughout the cancer process to promote rehabilitation. The needs for optimised rehabilitation vary according to several parameters such as the person's personal circumstances and preferences, social support and type of cancer disease.

Despite this and a growing number evidence within this area cancer rehabilitation is often not integrated in clinical care. The current cancer care focuses on medical and treatment related interventions. It is a challenge for health services to find models to identify and meet the increased need for cancer rehabilitation in a systematic and structured way throughout the cancer process, based on the specific needs of each individual. This study aims to develop and evaluate a model for systematic and evidence-based cancer rehabilitation for people with esophageal and gastric cancer to provide conditions for a better quality of life and fewer cancer-related symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria:

• over 18 years of age
• esophageal or gastric cancer
• living in Southern Sweden (Skåne)
• are planned to undergo curative surgerytreatment at Skåne University Hospital.

Exclusion Criteria:

• unable to communicate in the Swedish language
• suffering from a cognitive impairment that poses a barrier for participating in the study.