Understanding Cancer: Foundational Knowledge for Therapists

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When treating cancer survivors, it is necessary to have a foundational understanding of oncology. Beginning with a history of cancer and an overview of etiologies, Dr. Suzänne Taylor provides definitions of basic oncology terminology and explains how cancers are classified and staged. This information is necessary for clinicians to understand where their clients are on the trajectory of the cancer diagnosis and what treatment(s) they may have received or may yet receive. Resources are included for clinicians to remain current with their knowledge of oncology.

Meet your instructor

Suzänne Taylor PhD

Suzänne Taylor, PhD, MBA, OTR/L, has extensive experience in oncology rehabilitation including providing direct therapy interventions and presenting on state, regional, and national levels. Dr. Taylor has dedicated her career to furthering oncology rehabilitation education, research, and program development. Her clinical…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. The History of Cancer and Development of Treatments

While the earliest known writings describing cancer dating back to 3000 BC, scientists have discovered evidence of cancer much earlier, about 70 million years ago in bones of the Hadrosaurs, or "duck-billed dinosaurs." Research findings such as these continue to bring a greater understanding of how cancer behaves, leading to improved medical interventions. Join Dr. Taylor as she takes you from the earliest understandings of cancer through present day treatments and what our future may hold in our fight for a cure.

2. Etiology of Cancer

What causes cancer? This is one of the longest standing questions in medical science. By definition, cancer is a collection of related diseases in which some of the body's cells divide without control and are able to invade other tissues. In this chapter Dr. Taylor reviews four general categories that lead to cancer: genetic inheritance, environmental carcinogens, lifestyle choices, and infectious agents.

3. Classifying and Staging Cancers

This chapter reviews cancer classifications and staging systems in a manner that provides clinicians a framework for understanding cancer diagnoses. While solid tumors generally use the same staging system, there is variation in staging liquid tumors. Dr. Taylor explains, in detail, the staging systems as well as highlights the treatment guidelines at each stage. This information is necessary for clinicians to understand where their client is on the trajectory of the cancer diagnosis and what treatment(s) they may have received or may yet receive. Clinicians equipped with this knowledge are able to create individualized, client-specific plans of care that are holistic and interprofessional.

4. Leading Resources to Stay Current in Oncology

On-going research continues to bring new understandings of what causes cancer, how cancer behaves, how cancer cells respond to treatments, and how to best mitigate side effects of cancer and treatments. This is why clinicians who work with cancer survivors should be aware of the leading cancer resources. In this chapter Dr. Taylor reviews these national and international resources.

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