Cancer Rehabilitation: Helping You Feel More Like You

March 3, 2026

Young woman with cancer taking yoga and meditating in her apartment.

Thanks to diagnostic and treatment advances, the American Cancer Society reports that more Americans survive cancer than ever before. However, many survivors experience side effects of cancer and its treatment at some point along their cancer journeys. Cancer rehabilitation helps address these issues.

“The number of cancer survivors with self-reported functional limitation has more than doubled in the past 20 years,” says Dr. Kristen de Vries, assistant attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and assistant professor of clinical rehabilitation medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. “Cancer rehabilitation focuses on managing or eliminating the side effects of cancer and/or its treatment in an effort to improve function and quality of life.”

Complications Cancer Rehab Addresses

There are many potential complications brought on by cancer and cancer therapy. Cancer rehabilitation can help manage many of them, including:

Diarrhea and constipation
Difficulty thinking clearly or remembering
Excessive sweating
Fatigue or pain
Hair loss, rashes or damaged nails
Infections
Numbness in the hands or feet
Problems speaking, chewing or swallowing
Shortness of breath
Swelling or loss of range of motion
Urinary incontinence
Weakness and balance issues

By addressing these issues, cancer rehabilitation helps you maintain optimal health. Rehab also helps you maximize your independence and remain as active as possible, empowering you to stay engaged in life.

Cancer Rehabilitation for the Whole Person

“I like to get to know my patients as a whole person,” Dr. de Vries says. “This helps me understand how their dysfunction or impairment impacts their daily life and allows me to have a more comprehensive treatment approach.”

After getting to know you, your multidisciplinary team develops an individualized cancer rehabilitation program tailored to your specific needs. You may benefit from one or more of the following:

Lifestyle modifications. You may need to adopt new habits and drop old ones. In cancer rehabilitation, you’ll learn how to make healthy habits stick in the years to come.
Medication management. The right medication can reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and improve how you feel, physically and mentally. During and after cancer treatment, your healthcare team may prescribe and modify your medications as part of your comprehensive cancer care.
Therapeutic interventions. Physical, occupational and speech therapists who choose to specialize in cancer rehabilitation create custom treatment plans for individuals with cancer. They develop exercise programs, fit you for assistive devices and help you regain function of affected body parts.

“The vast majority of cancer survivors have at least one physical impairment, and only one-third of them receive rehabilitation treatment,” Dr. de Vries says. “If you experience complications along your cancer journey, advocate for yourself. Ask for a referral or contact Weill Cornell Medicine to schedule an appointment.”

Summary

Today, there is a record number of people surviving cancer. Thanks to cancer rehabilitation, they also enjoy the best possible quality of life.

Experiencing cancer or cancer therapy can result in a host of side effects and complications. These range from diarrhea to weakness to swallowing problems.
Cancer rehabilitation aims to address a person’s physical and mental health needs. Treatment offered to help reduce cancer complications includes lifestyle changes, medication management and multiple forms of therapy.
Every patient’s needs are unique. So is their cancer rehab program.

If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer, we’re here to help them through the entire process. Find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine today.