Rehabilitation of cancer patients with skeletal metastases.

Complications of cancer that are amenable to treatment with rehabilitation techniques will develop in many patients with skeletal metastases. This treatment can be given safely, with a low prevalence of pathologic fracture. Many patients with skeletal metastases and pathologic fracture have been shown to be good candidates for intensive rehabilitation programs if they do not have hypercalcemia caused by lytic metastases or pain severe enough to require parenteral narcotics.