Rehabilitation in women with breast cancer-special problems in hereditary diseases

A rehabilitation program for women with high risk for breast cancer or known hereditary breast carcinoma is described. The rehabilitation uses complex and interdisciplinary therapeutic interventions to improve symptoms, functional deficits and disease and treatment related psychologic distress. An essential component of the rehabilitation is an educational program with up-to-date information about the possibilities and limitations of genetic testing and recommendations about primary and secondary prevention. Suggestions for risk reduction as primary prevention are discussed. This rehabilitation program should be implemented in an effective follow-up care for women genetically susceptible to breast cancer.