© 2018 JETIR September 2018, Volume 5, Issue 9 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162) JETIR1809387 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org 526 Role of Physiotherapy in Management of Cancer Related Pain and Fatigue During Palliative Care- A Review Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Abdullah Alzamil 1 , Dr. Tabassum Saher 2 , Dr. Nilofar Rasheed 3 1 Physiotherapist at Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Physiotherapy, SGT University, Gurugram 3 Assistant Professor, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, NIU University, Noida Abstract Background and Purpose of the Study Management of cancer related pain and fatigue in cancer patients requires a multidisciplinary approach. The purpose of the review is to find out the role of exercises in reducing cancer related pain and fatigue levels in cancer patients. Palliative care is the multidisciplinary therapeutic approach for people with life limiting illness. It focuses on providing relief from symptoms such as pain, fatigue, physical stress and mental stress at any stage of illness. There has been limited research conducted to investigate the importance of role of physiotherapy in palliative care setting. So, the purpose of this study is to contribute a review to the current research involving the importance of physiotherapy during palliative care in management of pain and cancer related fatigue in cancer patients in terms of its efficacy, value, and how this value is perceived by patients and their caregivers. Methods: This study was completed by independently screening and reviewing the eighteen year studies that were published between the years 2000 to 2018 related to the role of physiotherapy during palliative care in management of cancer related pain and fatigue in cancer patients. The databases and journals searched included Google Scholar, PUBMED, MEDLINE and PEDro. Results: Throughout all of the 15 reviewed articles, it was reported that physiotherapy results in improvements in a variety of aspects of patient’s functions and relief of symptoms. The most frequently described benefit after receiving physi0therapy care were decrease in cancer related pain and fatigue levels. These benefits signify the valuable role that physiotherapy plays in caring for patients during palliative care and the impact it can have on patients’ functions and symptom management. Keywords: Palliative care, Cancer, Fatigue, Pain. Introduction Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a serious problem that affects the majority of patients with cancer. Increasing evidence indicating role of exercises in alleviating cancer related symptoms including pain and fatigue. One of the latter definitions of cancer related fatigue has been set up by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) ―Cancer-related fatigue is a distressing, persistent, subjective sense of tiredness or exhaustion related to cancer or cancer treatment that is not proportional to recent activity and interferes with usual functioning‖(1). This symptom occurs frequently and 80% of all cancer patients experience the symptom as troublesome. During chemotherapy treatment more than 99% of the patients state that they are bothered by fatigue. Fatigue has a very negative impact on the quality of life of these patients. CRF is a reported side effect of all types of cancer treatment affecting nearly 100% of cancer survivors and persists for years after treatment cessation. CRF impacts on all dimensions of quality of life and is the number one cause of reduced activities of daily living in cancer patients. Cancer survivors often state that CRF is the most distressing symptom related to cancer or cancer treatment, more so than pain, nausea, and vomiting. Pain is a common symptom with patients in an advanced stage of cancer disease and it forms the entire life situation for the patient. The pain is often caused by the cancer disease and the location of the tumor and the metastasis. Radiation and chemo therapy treatment can cause both acute and a more continuing pain but can also relieve pain in a late palliative phase of the disease. This means that the pain might not be just physical but can also have psychological, social and existential dimensions (2). Physiotherapy plays a very important role to provide the best possible quality of life for the palliative patient and their family for the rest of the time. Physiotherapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing the quality of life and the movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, and rehabilitation. This encompasses the physical, psychological, emotional, and the social wellbeing. Physiotherapy involves the interaction between the PT, patients/clients, other health professionals, families, care givers and communities, in a process where the movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed upon, by using the knowledge and the skills which are unique to the physiotherapist. The purpose of this review was to determine the effect of physiotherapy during palliative care on cancer related pain and fatigue. Methods: There are number of studies which support the importance of physiotherapy during palliative care specifically for pain and fatigue but there are less review of literature content available to conclude the importance of physiotherapy during palliative care on cancer related pain and fatigue. This study was completed by independently screening and reviewing the eighteen year studies that were published between the years 2000 to 2018 related to the role of physiotherapy during palliative care in management of cancer related pain and fatigue. The databases and journals searched included Google Scholar, PUBMED, MEDLINE and PEDro up to August 2018.