Oncology Rehabilitation

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By no means I am an expert in oncology rehabilitation but prior to immerse myself in pediatrics, I worked for eleven years as a physical therapist at a cancer hospital. Two conditions that stroke my inner being with my male patients were breast and penile cancers.
Breast cancer in men presents with similar symptoms than in women. Men typically discover a lump on their chest, but frequently it gets disregarded and it is not until other symptoms arise (sometimes too late) that they decide to pursue medical attention. According to the American Cancer Society (2016) about 440 men will die from breast cancer in the United States this year. For men the risk of getting breast cancer in their lifespan is 1 in 1,000. Symptoms to keep in mind that can
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Unfortunately, the three patients with penile cancer I saw during those years of my oncology professional experience suffered total penectomies because they were classified as Stage IV where the cancer was already spread to other tissues. They all had radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments after the surgery. Symptoms related to penile cancer, commonly ignored by men due to the stigmas attached, are blisters, bloody and smelly discharges, changes in skin color and/or texture, ulcers, and rashes. The risk of getting penile cancer increases with age. Other potential risk factors include HPV infection, not being circumcised, smoking, AIDS, and PUVA therapy. A recent study done by Barnes, McDowell, Button, Smith, Lynch, and Gupta (2016) also suggests an association between obesity and invasive penile cancer. The incidence of this condition in the US is 1 in 100,000. Of the three patients I treated, one opted for full penile reconstruction where microsurgery was conducted to rebuild a urethra and a series of grafts and flaps were done to recreate the male sexual organ using tissue from the thighs along with a penile prosthesis. Physical therapy was recommended for these three patients to address proximal lower extremity mobility, strength, weight bearing -