Prevention: Occupational therapy can intervene in cancer patients at many levels, among which the most important and often overlooked intervention is the therapist's ability to influence a person's behavior choices and change behaviors and habits that have a negative impact on health.
Early treatment after diagnosis: The initial treatment of tumor can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy, both of which have side effects. Before operation, therapists can participate in education and training to let patients know the problems that will occur after operation. It is generally believed that preoperative training can improve the functional outcome of patients and is conducive to postoperative rehabilitation.
Occupational therapists also play an important role in the recovery treatment after surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This level of intervention can be implemented in hospitals, families or community health institutions. Cancer patients may have difficulties in ADL activities due to functional changes, such as self-care work, entertainment or other difficulties. The intervention of occupational therapists can benefit them. The intervention of therapists is also helpful to prevent long-term disability and restore normal function. Patients' functions can be supported by rehabilitation or palliative care.
Postoperative treatment: In the early postoperative period, the therapist can encourage and help patients to carry out daily or targeted activities safely. Patients may be afraid of exercise, so it is necessary to guide the way and scope of safe exercise and tell patients what exercise should be avoided before the wound heals. Patients may get involved in the wound during physical exercise, which may make them feel scared.
Occupational therapy is to take purposeful and selective occupational activities (such as work, labor and entertainment activities), so that patients can get functional exercise in their homework, so as to maximize the recovery of the functions of patients with physical rest, mental and social participation and other obstacles. This method focuses on helping patients to restore their normal life and work ability as much as possible, which is an important way for patients to return to their families and society.
In the long-term working life, people have long taken appropriate work, labor and entertainment activities in practice to adjust the physical and mental conditions of some patients and achieve therapeutic effects. However, as a major, it was not until the beginning of this century that occupational therapy was gradually formed, which was mainly used to treat mental patients in the early days. In the treatment activities, the patient's condition can be controlled and the treatment effect can be improved.