Cancer Rehabilitation and Physical Activity: Advancing Function, Recovery, and Quality of Life Across the Cancer Continuum

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past two decades, there have been calls for increased attention to the management of adverse effects associated with cancer and its treatment with the goal of minimizing dysfunction and maximizing well-being and quality of life for the growing number of people living with and beyond cancer (PLWBC), including those living for years with metastatic disease. PLWBC often experience profound physical, functional, and psychosocial challenges during and after treatment. Up to 60% report limitations in daily activities, and many struggle with fatigue, pain, and reduced participation in work and life roles. These challenges are often underdiagnosed and undertreated, contributing to diminished quality of life and increased healthcare burden.

Cancer rehabilitation is an essential component of cancer care and has become increasingly relevant as the number of PLWBC grows, coupled with the high documented rates of physical impairment and disability. Comprehensive rehabilitation, which encompasses prevention, early intervention, and long-term management, aims to restore function, mitigate treatment-related adverse effects, and promote overall well-being. Exercise-based rehabilitation, in particular, has emerged as a cornerstone of cancer rehabilitation and is supported by growing evidence for its safety, efficacy, and broad benefits across cancer types and stages.

With this Special Issue, Cancer Rehabilitation and Physical Activity: Advancing Function, Recovery, and Quality of Life Across the Cancer Continuum, we hope to encourage original research articles and reviews that contribute to advancing the science and practice of cancer rehabilitation and exercise science.

Submissions may include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

• Descriptive studies on the rehabilitation needs of PLWBC;
• Cancer prehabilitation/rehabilitation interventions;
• Physical activity in PWWBC;
• Exercise science, including advancements in technology, exercise physiology/biomechanics; 
• Functional outcomes, symptom management;
• Models of care and implementation strategies.

By integrating multidisciplinary perspectives, this issue seeks to accelerate the translation of evidence into practice and highlight rehabilitation as a vital component of high-quality cancer care.

Dr. Jennifer Michelle Jones
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.