Chapter 2 - Practice Implementation, Clinical Assessment, and Outcomes Measurement

Abstract

Collectively, the impact of breast and gynecological cancers negatively affects function in a majority of women who experience neoplasms. Symptom-related impairment is prevalent throughout the continuum of care often leading to functional decline. Emerging functional impairment is detectable with clinical screening and assessment and can be effectively managed using rehabilitative interventions when a prospective surveillance model (PSM) is utilized. The PSM is a standardized methodology for baseline assessment of function and repeated interval assessment to identify clinically meaningful change overtime, indicative of emerging impairment. However, inherent in this standardized methodology is the need to use valid clinical assessment tools to promote accurate identification of functional changes that can then enable rehabilitative interventions to ameliorate or reduce the negative impact of these changes. When used throughout the duration of cancer treatment and beyond through the remaining life span, clinical assessment of function can enable optimal functional outcomes for individuals undergoing cancer treatment.