Breast Cancer Rehabilitation

At Ottawa Cancer and Lymphatics Centre, we understand how life can shift after a breast cancer diagnosis. Whether you’ve had surgery—like a lumpectomy, mastectomy, or reconstruction—or are going through treatments such as radiation, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, or chemotherapy, you may experience many physical, emotional, and psychological changes. We're here to support you as you heal, adjust, and thrive.

Our team of dedicated professionals specializes in evidence-based, individualized care that supports your recovery from every angle. Whether you're just beginning your post-op journey, dealing with side effects of cancer treatments, or continuing to adjust months or years later, our goal is to help you feel more like yourself—stronger, more comfortable, and empowered.

Our integrated team of professionals offer a comprehensive range of services tailored to the unique challenges of breast cancer treatments:

  • Physiotherapy: We help you regain mobility, manage pain, and address post-surgical or treatment-related issues such as cording, joint stiffness, fatigue, and neuropathy. Our physiotherapists develop personalized treatment plans that evolve with your healing process.
  • Massage Therapy: Massage offers gentle, targeted relief from muscular tension, post-surgical tightness, and treatment-related discomfort. It also promotes relaxation and can support lymphatic health.
  • Kinesiology: Our kinesiologists guide you through safe, progressive movement programs that help you rebuild strength, improve endurance, and restore function. Whether you're getting back to daily tasks or returning to fitness, we meet you where you are and set goals together.
  • Laser Therapy: Laser therapy can help reduce the appearance of scars, promote tissue regeneration, and alleviate pain. It is also beneficial for managing neuropathy and lymphedema by stimulating circulation and supporting lymphatic flow.
  • Scar Management: Specialized techniques to soften, mobilize, and reduce adhesions in surgical scars, improving comfort, range of motion, and skin appearance after surgery or radiation.
  • Acupuncture: A unique addition to your care plan, acupuncture may help manage fatigue, nausea, pain, neuropathy, and stress (coming soon!).
  • Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy: We offer specialized support for pelvic floor dysfunction resulting from hormone therapy and abdominal-based reconstruction surgeries such as DIEP or TRAM flaps. These treatments can impact core stability, posture, and pelvic health—our trained therapists are here to help you restore function, comfort, and confidence.
  • Psychotherapy: Emotional resilience is just as important as physical healing. We offer a safe space to process the emotional ups and downs of diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Our mental health team offers services both in person and virtually.
  • Dietetics: Cancer treatments can affect your appetite, digestion, energy, and weight. Our registered dietitians offer personalized guidance to support healing and long-term wellness.
  • Mastectomy Bras & Breast Prosthetic Fitting: A compassionate, professional fitting service to help you feel supported—physically and emotionally—as you adjust to changes in your body. Our fitters are also regulated health care professionals to ensure that your surgical history is considered when selecting bras and prosthetics.

The language of breast surgery and its various options can be daunting; we are here to help!

The following is a comprehensive (but by no means complete) overview of the most common types of breast surgery.

After receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer, you may require either a lumpectomy (removal of the tumour from the breast, also called a partial mastectomy or breast conserving surgery) or a mastectomy (removal of the whole breast). You may undergo a unilateral mastectomy (one breast) or a bilateral (double) mastectomy where both breasts are removed. Bilateral mastectomies may be recommended if there is cancer present in both breasts or for certain risk profiles, the unaffected breast may be removed prophylactically. All of these surgical options may be accompanied by the removal of a few lymph nodes (sentinel lymph node biopsy) or all the lymph nodes in the area (axillary lymph node dissection).

If you are at high risk of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, due to a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, you may choose to have your breasts removed to reduce the chance of developing cancer. This surgery is called a preventative mastectomy (also called a prophylactic mastectomy). Usually in this situation, you will have both breasts removed at the same time and will be presented with the option to remain flat, or undergo breast reconstruction.

If you have had one or both breasts removed, either for cancer treatment or prevention, your medical team may present options for breast reconstruction surgery if you are a candidate. Occasionally, reconstruction may also be performed after a lumpectomy to achieve symmetry with the remaining breast, or a balancing surgery (usually a breast reduction) on the unaffected breast may be preferred. If the reconstruction takes place at the same time the breast is removed, it is considered an immediate reconstruction; if it is done later, it is known as a delayed reconstruction. There are different options for both immediate and delayed reconstructive surgeries. The reconstruction will be done with an implant device, or with autologous tissue (tissue from your own body). Your eligibility for these varying types of reconstruction will be determined by your oncology team and is based on many intricate factors.

Although many reconstruction options exist, not everyone is a candidate and not everyone wishes to undergo reconstructive surgery. You may wish to embrace being flat and beautiful as you are, or you may wish to wear a breast prosthesis (or two prostheses). Regardless of your personal surgical and nonsurgical decisions Ottawa Cancer and Lymphatics Centre is here to empower and support you throughout your journey.

In addition to surgery, you may undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and/or hormone therapy. These treatments can lead to challenges such as fatigue, joint stiffness, hot flashes, skin sensitivity, neuropathy, and changes in energy and mood. We offer integrative therapies that help manage these side effects and improve your overall quality of life during and after treatment.

Healing after breast cancer treatment goes beyond incisions and exercises—it includes your sense of self, your emotional wellbeing, and your everyday quality of life. That’s why our approach is always whole-person, evidence based, and multifaceted. Wherever you are on your journey—whether you’ve just been diagnosed, are actively undergoing treatment, or are moving into survivorship—we’re here to support your recovery with compassion and expert care.