Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation is the name given to various services that aim to improve the lung functioning of people with chronic lung disease.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is used to help people with lung cancer, as well as people who have other lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and cystic fibrosis.

What is pulmonary rehabilitation?

Pulmonary rehabilitation involves care from a team of healthcare professionals, including:¹

• Doctors
• Occupational therapists
• Physical therapist
• Rehabilitation nurses
• Social workers
• Respiratory therapists
• Vocational counselors
• Psychologists

The goals of pulmonary rehabilitation are to decrease disability, increase participation in physical and social activities, and improve overall quality of life.¹

How does pulmonary rehab help people with lung cancer?

People with lung cancer can experience a decrease in their lung function due to the cancer and their cancer treatments. Surgery to remove the cancer includes removing a portion of healthy tissue around the tumor to ensure all the cancerous cells are removed. This can reduce the lung tissue and its ability to fully function.

Some people with lung cancer also live with other health conditions that may impact their lung capacity. Pulmonary rehabilitation can help people with lung cancer by:^2,4

• • Improving lung function
  • Increasing capacity for exercise
  • Decreasing the symptoms of lung cancer, such as difficulty breathing (dyspnea)
  • Improving quality of life
  • Helping manage anxiety and depression

What does pulmonary rehab include?

Pulmonary rehabilitation does not replace other treatments for lung cancer, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. It is used concurrently with medical treatment and may include:

Exercise training

Exercise can improve endurance and muscle strength, as well as reduce the severity of fatigue.^2,3

Nutritional counseling

People with lung cancer often experience weight loss and malnutrition. These issues can affect muscle mass and reduce the ability of the muscles used for breathing. Nutritional counseling assesses the patient’s intake and imbalances. It also provides recommendations for supplementation to avoid weight loss and muscle wasting.^2,3

Patient and family education

Pulmonary rehabilitation includes teaching patients and family members about lung cancer, the importance of quitting smoking, and other ways to reduce activities or exposures that may worsen symptoms.²

Energy-conserving techniques

Patients are taught ways to conserve their energy to prevent shortness of breath. Techniques may include ways to avoid reaching, lifting, or bending. Rehab may also focus on finding healthy ways to manage stress.²

Breathing strategies

Breathing strategies or exercises provide patients with ways to improve their breathing by potentially decreasing the frequency and increasing the length or depth of their inhalation and exhalation.²

Counseling

Many people with lung cancer experience depression and anxiety, and the stress of having lung cancer can also negatively impact family relationships and finances. Counseling can provide emotional support and teach healthy ways to manage stress.^2,3