CARE Clinic: A New Cancer Cachexia Clinic
at JKCC
The Pain and Supportive
Care Program at the Joan Karnell Cancer
Center and the rehabilitation program
at Pennsylvania Hospital have joined
efforts to develop the Cancer Appetite
and Rehabilitation (CARE) Clinic. The
purpose of this clinic is to reduce the
effects of cancer cachexia and improve
nutrition, function, symptom
management and quality of life of
cancer patients.
Cachexia is weight loss, muscle
atrophy, fatigue, weakness and
significant loss of appetite in someone
who is not actively trying to lose
weight. Patients at high risk for cancer
cachexia include those with head and
neck cancers, lung cancer or GI cancers
or who have completed cancer
treatment, but have lost weight and are
deconditioned.
Symtoms
of Cachexia Include: |
- Involuntary weight loss
- Increasing
fatigue
- Difficulty with function & activities
of daily living
- Experiencing difficult
or painful swallowing
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The clinic provides comprehensive
care including medical, nutrition and
physical therapy evaluation. This
evaluation is followed by an individualized
nutritional and rehabilitation program
directed to meet the patient's needs and
improve overall quality of life.
The goals of
the CARE Clinic are:
- To facilitate
enrollment in clinical
trials for cancer cachexia
- To prevent or
reverse the
progressive weight loss in cancer
patients when possible
- To provide strategies
to maximize
safety, efficiency and enjoyment
of oral nutrition
- To manage cancer-related
fatigue
- To prevent unnecessary loss of
function and restore normal or
near-normal function through an
individualized rehabilitation
program
For more information or to schedule
an appointment, call 215-829-3225 or
visit the Pain and
Supportive Care Program web page.
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