Body, mind and mental health in the rehabilitation of cancer patients

Abstract

For cancer patients, medical treatment such as surgical, chemical, radiological, and hormonal treatments, side-effects of the treatment, psychological distress, as well as change of social role and status, will all be very challenging, physically and psychologically. Building on the interconnectedness of the body and the mind, psychological symptoms and physically symptoms interact and exemplify each other. Better management on one side will bring about beneficial effects on the other side. In this regard, rehabilitation of cancer patients should focus on the body and the mind, as well as their reciprocal interactions. This presentation will focus on recent research in mind-body medicine and their clinical implications in management of cancer-related symptoms. Local and global experiences on using complementary and alternative medicine, mainly taichi, qigong, meditation, and expressive arts, which emphasise on the holistic impacts on cancer patients will also be introduced. The goals of the discussion will not only focus on improving mental health but also holistic health in cancer patients.