Oncology & The Pelvic Floor

Participants who register for this course have the option to attend the course live-online and/or watch the recording later. The recording will be available to all registrants for a 6-week period and access is provided on the next business day following the course. This allows participants who may not be able to attend live-online to still benefit from the course content. To facilitate attendance tracking, please indicate on your registration form if you won’t be attending live.

Course Description:

Cancers of the pelvis represent a significant proportion of new cancer diagnoses in both cis-males and females. Regardless of whether treatment involves surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, patients often experience side effects that vary in type and severity. These depend on factors such as the organs involved, the size of the treatment area, the extent of surgery, the type and dosage of radiation or chemotherapy, and the individual’s overall health and co-morbidities.

Pelvic health physiotherapy is uniquely equipped to support individuals facing the challenges of cancer treatment. By addressing urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction, physiotherapists can play a vital role in improving function and enhancing quality of life. This evidence-based course takes a whole-person approach to care, with a focus on supporting an often under-serviced population during and after cancer treatment.

Course Objectives:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify and discuss the different types of pelvic cancers.
• Understand the medical treatment pathways for various pelvic cancers.
• Recognize the potential side effects of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
• Explore and apply various dilator protocols used after pelvic cancer and radiation treatment.
• Examine the evidence supporting physiotherapy’s role as an integral member of the multidisciplinary cancer care team, both during and after treatment.

Audience: This course is open to healthcare professionals

Prerequisites: Level 1 (or equivalent to be approved)