In recent years prehabilitation before oncological visceral surgery has become increasingly more in the clinical focus. The aim of prehabilitation is to significantly increase patient's physical and mental performance status through multimodal treatment resulting in a decrease of postoperative complications and faster rehabilitation. As prehabilitation requires a high level of personnel and economic resources in the healthcare system, app-based prehabilitation might be a suitable alternative. The currently available evidence shows a high patient adherence to app-based prehabilitation with an improvement of functional performance status; however, further studies with more patients especially from Germany are necessary to confirm the preliminary data and to become established in the clinical routine.

Recent evidence revealed that an adequate preoperative physiological reserve is crucial to overcome surgical stress response. Consequently, a new concept, called prehabilitation, emerged, aiming to improve the preoperative functional reserve of patients who will undergo major abdominal surgery. During the interval between diagnosis and surgery, a multimodal approach consisting of physical exercise and nutritional and psychological support could be employed to enhance physiologic reserve. Physical activity interventions aim to improve aerobic capacity, muscle strength and endurance. Nutritional support addressing malnutrition and sarcopenia also contributes to the achievement of the above-mentioned goals, particularly in patients undergoing cancer-related procedures. Psychological interventions targeting anxiety, depression and self-efficacy, as well as risk behavior modification (e.g., smoking cessation) seem to enhance recovery. However, there is a lack of standardization regarding these interventions, and the evidence about the impact of this multidisciplinary approach on the postoperative outcomes is still contradictory. This narrative review focuses on the physiological basis of surgical stress response and on the efficacy of prehabilitation, reflected mainly in the length of hospitalization and rates of postoperative complications. Multidisciplinary collaboration between surgeons, nutritionists, psychologists and physiotherapists was identified as the key to the success of prehabilitation programs. Synergizing prehabilitation and ERAS protocols significantly improves short-term surgical outcomes. Recent well-designed, randomized clinical trials revealed that this approach not only enhanced functional reserve, but also decreased the rates of postoperative complications and enhanced patient's overall quality of life, emphasizing the importance of its implementation in routine, elective, surgical care.

Same-day mastectomy is safe and high value. However, patients ≥ 65 years are less likely to be discharged compared with younger patients. Our aim was to implement a protocol to increase the rate of elderly same-day discharge.

Patients were screened by 5-factor modified frailty index and notification of frailty status was sent to surgeons. Patients with moderate-to-high frailty were encouraged to have prehabilitation. Chart review collected demographic/clinicopathologic variables, length of stay, and complications. The primary endpoint was same-day discharge, and sample size determination was 50 patients. Our discharge rate was compared with our historic rate (18.8% March 2022 to February 2023) by Fisher's exact test.

From March 2023 to January 2024, 306 patients aged ≥ 65 years were screened. Overall, 55 patients underwent a total of 57 mastectomies (18.6%). Median age was 72 years (range: 65-99). Frailty scores ranged from 0 to 4. In total, 11 patients (19.3%) had a score of zero, 41 (71.9%) scored 1 or 2, and 5 patients (8.8%) scored 3 or 4. Seven patients were referred to geriatric oncology for prehabilitation: one non-frail, four with low frailty, and two with moderate frailty. The median length of stay (LOS) was 0 days (range: 0-21). Thirty-two mastectomies had same-day discharge (56.1%), significantly higher than historic data (P < 0.00001).

We increased same-day discharges for patients ≥ 65 years from 18.8% to 56.1%. This protocol included a simple frailty screening and a weekly email. Future directions include increasing the proportion of patients who receive geriatric oncology prehabilitation referrals and evaluating patient-reported outcomes.

Exergames can be an appealing strategy that is integrated into post-abdominal surgery rehabilitation.

The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of exergame rehabilitation in improving independence in activities of daily living (ADLs) and patient balance after abdominal cancer surgery.

A randomized control-group study was carried out in an oncological hospital in Portugal. Seventy postoperative patients were included, and data collection took place between January 2023 and May 2023. The patients were randomly assigned to either an exergame rehabilitation program (n = 35) or a traditional rehabilitation program (n = 35). The assessed outcomes were the Barthel and Berg scales, and data collection occurred at 3 different time points: admission, 48 hours postoperatively, and on the seventh day after surgery.

At the third assessment, a statistically significant difference was observed between the 2 groups for both indicators, ADLs and balance.

There was an improvement in ADLs and balance in the exergames group. By the seventh day after surgery, the intervention group showed improvement in balance and ADLs compared with the control group.

The use of exergames can be a solution to the challenges of traditional rehabilitation methods after abdominal surgery for cancer for postoperative patients. This is the first study carried out in this specific population.

Cancer rehabilitation is the crucial process by which cancer patients regain their physical abilities and enhance their quality of life through diverse methods following treatment. As the cure rate of cancer continues to rise, the need for postoperative rehabilitation is becoming increasingly evident. This is particularly crucial for enhancing patient survival rates and minimizing the chances of cancer recurrence. Exercise intervention has become increasingly popular and widely used as a proactive rehabilitation therapy in recent years. This article examines the influence of exercise intervention on the recovery and survival rates of cancer patients after surgery. It specifically investigates the effects and mechanisms of various exercise interventions, such as aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility training, on patients with lung cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and other forms of cancer. Exercise therapies before and after surgery can greatly boost patients' physical abilities, decrease postoperative problems, minimize hospital stays, and improve overall quality of life. In addition, implementing exercise intervention can enhance the long-term survival rates of patients. Future studies should investigate the most effective exercise programs and their suitability for various types of cancer, with the goal of offering better evidence-based clinical advice.

Background: Cytoreductive surgery (CRS), in combination with chemotherapy, is the main treatment for advanced-stage ovarian cancer. In vulnerable patients, this extensive surgery has a high complication risk and may lead to clinical decline. There is emerging evidence that prehabilitation could be valuable in optimizing the patient's condition prior to cytoreductive surgery, as is shown in colorectal surgery. However, there is limited evidence in gynecologic oncology. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and effects of implementing multimodal prehabilitation before cytoreductive surgery in patients with ovarian cancer. Methods: In two Dutch hospitals, 46 patients with ovarian cancer were included during the study period, of whom 32 participated in a multimodal prehabilitation program before CRS. The programs included at least physiotherapy, dietary advice and intoxication cessation. The timing, extent and content of the programs differed. Feasibility was assessed by eligibility and participation rates and adherence to the physiotherapy program. Effectiveness was measured by differences in functional capacity, postoperative outcomes and tolerance to adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Eligibility rates in both hospitals were 83% and 89%, and participation rates were 68% and 72%. Adherence to the physiotherapy program was moderate and only satisfactory in 55% and 63% of the patients. All fitness endpoint measurements improved compared to the baseline. No significant differences in postoperative outcomes were found between prehabilitation and control patients. Prehabilitation patients appeared to have better tolerance to adjuvant chemotherapy, with fewer dose reductions (21% vs. 73%, p = 0.017) and dose deferrals (39% vs. 46%, not significant) compared to the control group. Conclusions: The implementation of multimodal prehabilitation before CRS is feasible and effective in patients with ovarian cancer with respectable eligibility and participation rates, along with improved functional capacity, even during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

This study aimed to describe and test a program implemented by a nurse for cancer patients in the postoperative period of abdominal surgery using Wii Fit games. It explored the relationship between the type of game, its duration, and the score obtained with variables such as quality of life, fatigue, balance, anxiety, and depression.

A quasi-experimental project was conducted using a one-group pretest-posttest design to assess the effects of a rehabilitation program utilizing Nintendo Wii Fit. The games included were Wii Fit Aerobics - Basic Step, Wii Fit - Balance Games Penguin Slide, Wii Fit Training Plus - Birds Eye Bulls Eye, and Wii Fit - Hula Hoop. Data were collected 48h post-surgery and on the 7th day post-surgery.

Thirty-five patients participated in the study. The evaluation revealed that the scores and durations of the games had significantly related to the outcomes on the scales, with the "Wii Fit Aerobics - Basic Step" and "Wii Fit - Hula Hoop" games having the most significant impact across multiple aspects.

The study demonstrated that the rehabilitation program had a positive effect on the study population, administered by a rehabilitation nurse. The use of exergames may offer a viable solution to the challenges of traditional rehabilitation methods, particularly for cancer patients in the postoperative period.

Rehabilitation is considered a fundamental component of cancer treatment, especially for patients undergoing cancer surgery. In contrast to conventional rehabilitation education, digital rehabilitation has the potential to improve patients' access to postoperative rehabilitation programs. While digital health has rapidly emerged to aid patients with various diseases, their clinical efficacy in the recovery of patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) undergoing hepatectomy remains inadequately investigated.

This study aims to evaluate whether a digital postoperative rehabilitation intervention is efficient in improving physical fitness, enhancing exercise adherence, and alleviating fatigue among patients with PLC after hepatectomy.

A randomized controlled trial was undertaken across 2 university-affiliated hospitals in Eastern China. A total of 100 participants were enrolled in this study and were allocated randomly to either the digital health (intervention group, n=50) or the rehabilitation manual-based group (control group, n=50) at a 1:1 ratio. Patients were unblinded and prospectively followed for the intervention of 3 weeks. Outcome measures included physical fitness, exercise adherence, and status of fatigue.

Overall, 91 out of 100 patients completed the research and were evaluated after 3 weeks of intervention. The digital health group showed better cardiopulmonary endurance than the control group. The mean difference in the change of 6-minute walk test distance from baseline between the groups was 70.21 (95% CI 0.730-82.869) m (P=.05). No statistically significant effects were found for grip strength, 5-repetition-sit-to-stand test time, and fatigue. The exercise adherence in the digital health group was higher than that in the control group (χ22=15.871, P<.001).

The findings suggested that the implementation of digital health had a positive impact on recovery in exercise capacity after hepatectomy. In addition, rehabilitation exercise mode based on digital health has the potential to improve the exercise adherence of patients with PLC compared to conventional manual-based rehabilitation guidance.

This study investigates the global research landscape of prehabilitation, identifying current trends, dominant disciplines, collaborative networks, and prominent articles in the field.

For our analysis, we employed the published prehabilitation literature indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection database, spanning from 2002 to 2022. In addition, we utilized CiteSpace (version 6.2; Drexel University), a widely used information visualization software to perform bibliometric analysis.

Analyzing 553 research articles, we observe a consistent upward trend in prehabilitation publication and citation activity. Interdisciplinary co-occurrence analysis highlights strong connections with fields such as surgery, rehabilitation, oncology, sports sciences, orthopedics, gastroenterology, and hepatology. Initially centered around postoperative outcomes in major abdominal surgeries, particularly for colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate cancers, prehabilitation research expanded to include thoracic surgeries, focusing on conditions like lung cancer and aortic valve replacement. Preoperative exercise remains a core area, with increasing interest in multimodal prehabilitation and its effectiveness based on patient group characteristics. North America and Western Europe emerge as primary contributors to prehabilitation research.

Current research concentrates on tailoring prehabilitation programs for specific groups, and broadening their geographical scope would enhance the studies, contributing valuable insights for medical practitioners shaping future research efforts.

Prehabilitation before spinal surgery may enhance patients' ability to withstand physical and mental stress during the perioperative period. It has the potential to reduce complications, accelerate recovery, and deliver sustainable, patient-relevant improvements. However, high-quality evidence remains limited, and it is unclear which prehabilitation concepts, training protocols, and outcomes are most effective for different patient groups.

To evaluate the current state of research on preoperative interventions before spinal surgery, including the representation of subgroups, types of surgical procedures, and prehabilitation concepts. Additionally, it examines the outcomes analyzed and the methodologies employed in existing studies.

Scoping review based on a systematic literature search.

A comprehensive database search in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Web of Science and Scopus was conducted. Exercise- and/or education-based prehabilitation concepts were identified, and findings were clustered and summarized according to PRISMA reporting standards.

Thirty-six reports from 23 studies (50% RCTs), evaluating prehabilitation programs in terms of feasibility, experiences, and effects on physical performance, self-reported function, pain, psychological outcomes and health-economic factors were included. These studies encompassed 2,964 participants scheduled for spinal surgery and reported a wide range of preoperative interventions, settings, and adherence rates. Prehabilitation focused primarily on education (87%) and exercise (35%), either independently or in combination. Most authors have concluded that preoperative interventions benefit patients awaiting spinal surgery, particularly by improving self-reported function, disability, and pain in both the short and long term. However, the findings also highlight the variability in outcomes, strengths, limitations, and recommendations across studies. Notably, 76% of the authors advocated for preoperative preparation, emphasizing the importance of structured, personalized programs and the need for further large-scale clinical trials.

Based on the current evidence, preparation for spinal surgery is recommended, provided that it is individualized, multimodal, and interdisciplinary, and addresses patients' specific impairments, resources, and expectations. Future research should focus on identifying subgroups defined by biopsychosocial risk factors that may influence short- and long-term perioperative outcomes.

Analyse the influence of the nutritional status of older patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery on postoperative complications, mortality and mean length of hospital stay.

We performed a longitudinal observational study including patients older than 80 years who underwent emergency surgery by the general surgery service for abdominal pathology, who were followed by the geriatrics service between September 2018 and May 2021. Malnutrition was diagnosed using Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, classifying patients as malnourished and normonourished. A comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed on patients, and postoperative complications, mean length of hospital stay and mortality in-hospital were recorded.

131 patients were included, 84 of them were malnourished and 47 normonourished. Mean age was 86±4.7 years. Malnourished patients had higher incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation (odds ratio [OR]: 6.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-27.6, p<0.05), urinary tract infection (OR 4.72, 95% CI: 1.02-21.95, p<0.05) and bacteraemia (OR 3.51, 95% CI: 1.14-11.1, p<0.05), compared with normonourished patients. Surgical complications were more frequent in malnourished patients (OR 3.34, 95% CI: 1.5-7.44, p<0.05). Mean length of hospital stay in malnourished patients was longer (22.6 (±14.1)) compared with normonourished patients (15.3 (±11.9)) (p<0.005).

Malnutrition in older patients (mean age 86 years old) undergoing emergency abdominal surgery is associated with a poorer clinical course; thus, it must be considered in the evaluation and follow-up of these patients.

Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) like ChatGPT have expanded possibilities for patient education, yet its impact on perioperative anxiety in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients remains unexplored.

In this single-blind, randomized controlled pilot study from April to July 2023, 60 patients were randomly allocated using sealed envelopes to either ChatGPT-assisted or traditional surgeon-led informed consent groups. In the ChatGPT group, physicians used ChatGPT 4.0 to provide standardized, comprehensive responses to patient queries during the consent process, while maintaining their role in interpreting and contextualizing the information. Outcomes were measured using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS), Perioperative Apprehension Scale-7 (PAS-7), Visual Analogue Scales for Anxiety and Pain (VAS-A, VAS-P), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and satisfaction questionnaires.

Of 55 patients completing the study, the ChatGPT group showed significantly lower anxiety scores after informed consent (HADS-A: 10.48 ± 3.84 vs 12.75 ± 4.12, P = .04, Power = .67; PAS-7: 12.44 ± 3.70 vs 14.64 ± 2.11, P = .01, Power = .85; VAS-A: 5.40 ± 1.89 vs 6.71 ± 2.27, P = .02, Power = .75) and on the fifth postoperative day (HADS-A: 8.33 ± 3.20 vs 10.71 ± 3.83, P = .01, Power = .79; VAS-A: 3.41 ± 1.58 vs 4.64 ± 1.70, P = .008, Power = .85). The ChatGPT group also reported higher satisfaction with preoperative education (4.22 ± 0.51 vs 3.43 ± 0.84, P <.001, Power = .99) and overall hospitalization experience (4.11 ± 0.65 vs 3.46 ± 0.69, P = .001, Power = .97). No significant differences were found in depression scores, knee function, or pain levels.

ChatGPT-assisted informed consent effectively reduced perioperative anxiety and improved patient satisfaction in TKA patients. While these preliminary findings are promising, larger studies are needed to validate these results and explore broader applications of AI in preoperative patient education.

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in the USA and occurs most frequently in older adults. These patients are at increased risk of adverse outcomes following major cancer surgery. While prehabilitation has been shown to mitigate this risk, multiple barriers to implementation remain. Our team created a digital tool co-designed with older adults that employs an algorithm to assess patient-specific geriatric vulnerabilities and generate personalised prehabilitation programmes before surgery.

We have designed a multisite, unblinded randomised trial to be completed at three high-volume academic cancer centres located in California or Texas. Our study population is individuals aged 65 and older with planned colorectal cancer resection who are proficient in English and have home internet access. We aim to enroll 132 patients who will be randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive the intervention (assistance from a home health coach and access to the web application (web app)) or control (usual care with written prehabilitation materials). Our primary outcome is patient engagement with prehabilitation activities.

A properly executed, written, informed consent will be obtained from each subject prior to entering the subject into the trial. Information will be given in both oral and written form, and subjects may withdraw at any time from the study without effect on their medical care. The protocol and consent form have been approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of each participating centre. We anticipate publication of results in a peer-reviewed journal.

NCT05520866.

Surgical treatment is commonly employed to treat patients with gynecologic cancer, although surgery itself may function as a stressor, reducing the patients' functional capacity and recovery. Prehabilitation programs attempt to improve patients' overall health and baseline function prior to surgery, thereby enhancing recovery and lowering morbidity. In recent years, prehabilitation has come to primarily refer to multimodal programs that combine physical activity, nutritional support, psychological well-being, and other medical interventions. However, the specific methods of implementing prehabilitation and measuring its effectiveness are heterogeneous. Moreover, high-level evidence regarding prehabilitation in gynecologic cancer surgery is limited. This review provides a summary of multimodal prehabilitation studies in gynecologic oncologic surgery. Enhanced postoperative recovery, lower postoperative complications, lower rate of blood transfusions, and faster gastrointestinal functional recovery have been reported after multimodal prehabilitation interventions. Patients and healthcare professionals should recognize the importance of prehabilitation in the field of gynecologic oncologic treatment, based on the emerging evidence. In addition, there is a need to establish an appropriate target group and construct a well-designed and tailored prehabilitation program.

With a rapidly aging population and increasing global surgical volumes, managing the elevated risk of perioperative pulmonary complications has become an expanding focus for quality improvement in health care. In this narrative review, we will analyze the evidence-based literature to provide high-quality and actionable management strategies to better detect, stratify risk, optimize, and manage perioperative pulmonary complications in geriatric populations.

Prehabilitation has been increasingly utilized to optimize perioperative outcomes. In this study, we aim to evaluate the impact of uni- and multimodal prehabilitation on functional capacity and postoperative outcomes among surgical oncology patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.

Three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane) were systematically searched up until December 2023. We included randomized controlled trials comparing prehabilitation to standard of care in surgical oncology patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. Our primary outcome was functional capacity as measured by the 6-min walk distance (6MWD). Secondary outcomes include postoperative complications, emergency readmissions, and length of stay (LOS). We stratified our findings to determine the impact of uni- versus multimodal prehabilitation on outcomes.

We included 27 studies with 2532 surgical oncology patients. Overall, patients undergoing prehabilitation demonstrated a significant improvement in preoperative functional capacity compared to those without prehabilitation (mean difference in 6MWD 28.32 meters [m], 95% CI 15.26, 41.39, p < 0.01). Prehabilitation was also associated with significantly lower odds of postoperative complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.60, 95% CI 0.46, 0.78, p < 0.01). There was no difference in emergency readmission (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.59, 1.38, p = 0.61) or LOS (mean difference -0.42 days, 95% CI -1.01, 0.16, p = 0.15). Comparing uni- versus multimodal prehabilitation, multimodal prehabilitation was associated with greater improvements in functional capacity (6MWD 37.35 m versus 13.38 m) and lower odds of postoperative complications (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45, 0.82, p < 0.01 versus OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.36, 1.11, p = 0.10) CONCLUSION: Prehabilitation improves functional capacity and reduces postoperative complications among surgical oncology patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.

Patients with endometrial neoplasia (EN) often have multiple comorbidities and a higher surgical risk. Prehabilitation programs (PPs) combine various interventions to improve preoperative conditions and reduce impairment due to surgical stress. We conducted a pragmatic pilot study to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of a trimodal telehealth PP (exercise, nutrition, and psychological support) for EN patients. The participants could select their exercise group: (1) a supervised PP (SPP), group sessions 3×/week; (2) a semi-supervised PP (SSPP), group session 1×/week, training alone 2×/week; or (3) a physical activity counseling session (PACS). Out of the 150 EN patients awaiting surgery screened during the 18 months of the study recruitment, 66% (99/150) were eligible, and 40% consented to participate (SPP, n = 13; SSPP, n = 17; PACS, n = 9). The overall dropout was low (13%; 5/39), with no significant differences across groups. No serious adverse events occurred. We observed a positive impact on different outcomes across the different groups, such as in the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy quality of life score (SPP; delta = 6.1 [CI: 0.9; 12.6]) and functional capacity measured using the 30″ sit-to-stand test (PACS delta = 2.4 [CI: 1.2; 3.6]). The same-day hospital leave was high in the SSPP group (54.5%). Our pilot telehealth PP seems to be safe, feasible, and well accepted and may procure clinical and patient-centered gains that need to be confirmed in a larger trial.

Although previous studies have shown that preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation training may improve postoperative prognosis in patients with lung cancer, the literature included in the existing meta-analysis is highly heterogeneous and lacks effective subgroup analysis. Therefore, an updated meta-analysis is needed to integrate the latest published randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT). This updated analysis was performed to identify the clinical effects of preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation on physical rehabilitation (lung function, activity endurance, and dyspnea), psychological rehabilitation, quality of life, length of hospital stay, and postoperative pulmonary complications in patients with lung cancer. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science database were searched since inception up to March 2024. A random-effects model was used to pool data, and sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed to explore the stability of outcomes and potential sources of heterogeneity. All analyses were conducted via Review Manager 5.4.1 and STATA 15.0. The final analysis included 11 RCTs with 1250 patients. The results of meta-analysis suggest that preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation can significantly improve the quality of life of patients with lung cancer after surgery (SMD: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.32; P = 0.04) and significantly reduce the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) (RR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.60; P < 0.0001). The results of subgroup analysis suggested that the effect of combined preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation was significantly better than that of preoperative rehabilitation alone, and the effect of short-term preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation (≤ 3 weeks) was significantly better than that of long-term rehabilitation. Preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with lung cancer can significantly improve their postoperative quality of life and reduce postoperative complications, but factors such as intervention time and intervention method may affect the rehabilitation effect.

Frailty is increasingly recognized as a perioperative risk for numerous surgical diseases. We applied the modified frailty index (mFI-11) to the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) for patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC).

We performed a retrospective analysis of the NIS (2015-2019) including CRC patients undergoing surgery. We classified patients into frail (ie, mFI ≥0.27) and robust (ie, mFI <0.27) categories. Primary outcomes were in-hospital postoperative morbidity and mortality. The secondary outcomes included system-specific postoperative morbidity and length of stay (LOS). Multivariable regression models were fit.

Within the 53,652 identified patients undergoing surgery for CRC, 19.1% were frail. Frail patients were at higher risk of postoperative mortality (3.1% vs 1.0%, odds ratio [OR] 1.96, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 1.68-2.30, P < 0.001), morbidity (41.3 % vs 23.1%, OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.66-1.83, P < 0.001), and LOS (mean difference [MD] 1.46, 95% CI 0.29-1.62, P < 0.001). Significant differences existed between groups in system-specific postoperative morbidity, with the largest effect estimates seen in cardiovascular morbidities (OR 4.07, 95% CI 3.36-4.93, P = 0.001), followed by respiratory (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.66-1.83, P = 0.001).

Frail patients undergoing CRC surgery are at risk of increased postoperative complications. Preoperative frailty screening may allow for individualized preoperative counseling.

Data have matured to support incorporation of integrative oncology modalities into comprehensive cancer care. Clinical practice guidelines have recently been published by ASCO for diet and exercise (2022) and use of cannabinoids and cannabis (2024) and jointly by ASCO and the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) for application of integrative approaches in the management of pain (2022), anxiety and depression (2023), and fatigue (2024) among adults with cancer. Following the ASCO-SIO guidelines, clinicians should recommend mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to patients with symptoms of anxiety or depression and MBIs and exercise for management of fatigue during or after completion of cancer treatment. We will review the basis of these recommendations and evidence to support use of other mind-body approaches, exercise, nutrition, acupuncture/acupressure, and natural products in the specific contexts of GI cancers. For example, optimizing physical activity and diet is associated with improved survival after a colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnosis, in addition to conferring symptom management benefits. We will also highlight gaps in research, including that most studies enrolling patients with GI malignancies have focused on CRC. A limitation of nonpharmacologic evidence-based guidelines is that they list broad categories (eg, yoga or acupuncture) and lack implementation details. How to safely and equitably incorporate integrative approaches into conventional cancer care will be addressed. This ASCO Educational Book article aims to be both evidence-informed and practical, with attention to unique considerations for people with GI cancers.

Interest in prehabilitation, the preoperative enhancement of patients' condition, is rising in the surgical field. Challenging factors appear to be patients' motivation to participate in and their compliance with prehabilitation programs. The aim of this qualitative study was to study the real-life experience of prehabilitation by assessing the lived experience and perceptions of participants in a multimodal prehabilitation program and to explore factors that influence participation and compliance during prehabilitation.

Patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer and who had participated in the 4-week multimodal prehabilitation program "BEFORE" feasibility study were recruited. Their lived experiences were collected through semi-structured, individual, in-depth interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a thematical approach. As no new information emerged after the interviews, data were considered saturated.

Six patients were interviewed. Seven main themes were discussed during the interviews, including information provision, motivation for participation, and content of the program. The results of this study emphasize the importance of adequate patient education, in-hospital exercise with the supervision of physiotherapists, and a patient-centered program. Logistical problems and the impact of cancer diagnosis were most frequently reported as barriers to participation.

Participation could be improved by providing adequate information and solving logistical issues. Patient-centeredness of the program is an important feature in improving adherence.

Current evidence synthesis of prehabilitation studies in colorectal surgery is based on results of randomized controlled trials (RCT). Although RCTs are the gold standard for effectiveness research, observational studies probably better reflect real-life practice. The aims of the current study were to compare observational studies to RCTs regarding the association between prehabilitation and postoperative outcomes, and characteristics of included patients and interventions.

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL (until September 2023). Observational studies and RCTs investigating prehabilitation before colorectal surgery and reporting postoperative complications and/or length of stay (LoS) were included. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool for RCTs and the Cochrane ROBINS-I tool for observational studies. Meta(regression)-analyses were performed for postoperative complications and LoS.

Pooled results showed a statistically significant reduction in postoperative complications (OR 0.54; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.40 to 0.72) and LoS (mean difference (MD) -1.34 CI -2.57 to -0.12) after prehabilitation in observational studies but not in RCTs (complications OR 0.95; CI 0.53 to 1.72; LoS MD 0.16 CI -0.52 to 0.83). Patients included in observational studies were older and more often had an ASA score ≥3. In a meta-regression analysis, these characteristics were not statistically significantly associated with the main outcomes.

Observational studies in a real-life setting showed that prehabilitation can reduce postoperative complications and LoS. To further explore the real-life effectiveness of prehabilitation, specific observational study designs, like a target emulation trial could be used.

Prehabilitation programs have been shown to improve functional status prior to surgery, postoperative recovery, and even long-term outcomes. However, these programs often lack participation, often by patients who seem to need it the most. This study aimed to identify the primary reasons for patients' declining enrollment or low adherence to a prehabilitation program.

We recruited adult patients who had undergone or planned to undergo major abdominal surgery for semistructured one-on-one audio-recorded interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and iteratively coded deductively and inductively. Thematic analysis was performed.

We interviewed 11 patients, at which point we reached thematic saturation. The patients were on average 53 years old (range 38-75) and 27% were women and 73% were men. The pooled kappa score was 0.81, indicating concordance among the coding researchers. Seven potential barriers to prehabilitation participation and adherence were identified: poorly timed recruitment efforts, misconceptions about prehabilitation diet recommendations, competing priorities that made prehabilitation less feasible, lack of family alignment, belief that prehabilitation would not be helpful, concerns over specific prehabilitation program components, and belief that prehabilitation is helpful for others but not for themselves.

Low participation and adherence limit the success and reach of many prehabilitation programs. Improved timing and content of communication by the prehabilitation team is critical for improving recruitment of patients. Flexibility and customization may reframe prehabilitation as feasible rather than a difficult chore, increasing participation and adherence. Understanding patients' concerns and readiness to adopt new health behaviors is a necessary component of any behavioral intervention.

Prehabilitation aims to improve patients' physical condition before a stressful event, such as surgery, and enhance recovery. Despite its potential benefits, many emerging prehabilitation programs face challenges in enrolling or retaining patients. In our prehabilitation study PHOCUS, which aims to prepare ovarian cancer patients for surgery, we have also encountered lower acceptance and retention rates. Particularly the most vulnerable patients, who are old and frail, and may benefit the most from the prehabilitation, decline participation due to the complexity of the proposed program. In our review we discussed obstacles and barriers that prevent patients' participation based on both literature and our experience. Among the main reasons are patient's low motivation, high intensity of the program and a lack of social support. To overcome these challenges, we suggest increasing the program's flexibility, adapting the program according to individual patient's needs and enhancing patients' education about the benefits of prehabilitation.

Exergames, which combine digital games and physical exercise, have become increasingly popular for rehabilitation in the health domain. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of exergame rehabilitation on the quality of life of cancer patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of exergame rehabilitation on the quality of life of cancer patients who had undergone abdominal surgery. Seventy postoperative patients were included, and data collection took place between January 2023 and May 2023. The patients were randomly assigned to either an exergame rehabilitation program (n = 35) or a traditional rehabilitation program (n = 35). The assessed outcome was the quality of life, and data collection occurred at three different time points: upon admission, 48 h postoperatively, and on the 7th day after surgery.

Quality of life was evaluated using the WHOQOL-BREF Scale. At the third assessment, a statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups (p = 0.016), indicating that the intervention group had a higher quality of life than the control group.

The study showed a positive effect of exergames on the population under investigation. By the 7th day after surgery, the intervention group demonstrated an improvement in their quality of life compared to the control group.

Center of Open Science OSF https://osf.io/286zb/ , registered in July, 2023.

To determine the effectiveness of uni- or multimodal prehabilitation on several outcomes in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy before cancer surgery.

A systematic search was carried on May 1, 2023, using four major databases (SCOPUS, Web of Science, Medline (Ovid and Pubmed)) and updated monthly until February 2024. Inclusion criteria included (i) any original articles (any design), (ii) adult patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) prior to surgical resection, (iii) participation in uni- or multimodal prehabilitation programs during NAT, and (iv) reporting on any functional, treatment-related, or perioperative outcome. Two reviewers independently conducted the search and screened all records. Risk of bias was assessed using the Johanna Briggs Institute Appraisal Tools independently by two reviewers. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed for all outcomes with two or more studies.

A total of 30 records met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Studies showed that prehabilitation during NAT can be feasible in most settings and increase or prevent the loss of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), maintain or improve muscle mass, and improve pathological response and treatment completion compared to no prehabilitation, but the certainty of the evidence is low to moderate. However, according to our findings, prehabilitation has little to no effect on postoperative complications and length of hospital stay as well as in health-related quality of life.

Prehabilitation during NAT might be feasible and associated with improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle mass, and treatment response/completion with low-to-moderate certainty of evidence. Insufficient data on safety is available at this stage.

To improve perioperative frailty status in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery (LCCS), we explored a new intensive prehabilitation program that combines prehabilitation exercises with standard enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and explored its impact.

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial. Between April 2021 to August 2021, patients undergoing elective LCCS were randomized into the standardized ERAS (S-ERAS) group or ERAS based on prehabilitation (group PR-ERAS). Patients in the PR-ERAS group undergoing prehabilitation exercises in the perioperative period in addition to standard enhanced recovery after surgery. We explored the effects of this prehabilitation protocol on frailty, short-term quality of recovery (QoR), psychological status, postoperative functional capacity, postoperative outcomes, and pain.

In total, 125 patients were evaluated, and 95 eligible patients were enrolled and randomly allocated to the S-ERAS (n = 45) and PR-ERAS (n = 50) groups. The Fried score was higher in the PR-ERAS group on postoperative day (7 (2(2,3) vs. 3(2,4), P = 0.012). The QoR-9 was higher in the PR-ERAS group than in the S-ERAS group on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 7th postoperative days. The PR-ERAS group had an earlier time to first ambulation (P < 0.050) and time to first flatus (P < 0.050).

Prehabilitation exercises can improve postoperative frailty and accelerate recovery in patients undergoing LCCS but may not improve surgical safety. Therefore, better and more targeted prehabilitation recovery protocols should be explored.

www.clinicaltrials.org , identifier NCT04964856.

Gastric cancer is a high-risk cancer with surgical treatments often leading to significant postoperative complications and mortality. Prehabilitation, involving exercise, nutrition and psychological support before surgery, aims to boost patients' physical and mental health. While effective in other cancers, its benefits for gastric cancer need further study. This research will evaluate the impact of trimodal prehabilitation on patient outcomes in gastric cancer surgery, aiming to reduce complications and expedite recovery.

This study will systematically review randomised controlled trials and cohort studies evaluating the role of prehabilitation in people undergoing gastric cancer resection. The primary outcomes of interest will include overall postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. The secondary outcomes of interest will include mortality, readmission rate or functional recovery. Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database and Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals (VIP) will be searched. All studies will be screened and selected using the criteria described in 'population, intervention/exposure, comparison, outcome and study design' format. Two independent reviewers will screen studies for relevance and methodological validity. Data from included studies will be extracted through a customised, preset data extraction sheet. The Cochrane Review Manager (V.5.3, Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark) software will be used to perform the meta-analysis.

Ethics approval is not required for this study as all results will be based on published papers. No primary data collection will be needed. Study findings will be presented at scientific conferences or published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

CRD42023488469.

This review explores the impact of exercise on post-surgical recovery in breast cancer patients. Breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer globally, necessitates treatments beyond conventional modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. While exercise as an adjuvant therapeutic tool is not novel, it is generally accepted for improving cancer outcomes. Yet, it is not included in current treatment guidelines. This study reviews literature using the FACT-B (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Breast) tool to evaluate quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing exercise interventions post-surgery. Despite mixed results, with some studies showing significant improvements and others indicating no notable benefits, the general consensus suggests potential advantages of integrating structured exercise programs into recovery protocols. Standardizing the use of quality of life measures like FACT-B could enhance future research and clinical practices, leading to more effective patient care strategies.

Prep-4-RT is a co-designed stepped-care multimodal prehabilitation program for people scheduled to receive radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC). Prehabilitation, which occurs between diagnosis and treatment commencement, aims to improve a patient's health to reduce the incidence and severity of current and future impairments. HNC treatment can be distressing and has detrimental impacts on function and quality of life. HNC patients have increased social vulnerabilities including higher rates of socio-economic disadvantage and engagement in lifestyle habits which increase cancer risk. High levels of physical and psychological impacts of HNC treatment and increased social vulnerabilities of this population warrant investigation of optimal pathways of care, such as prehabilitation. This paper describes a research protocol to evaluate the feasibility of Prep-4-RT, which was designed to prepare HNC patients for the physical and psychological impacts of radiotherapy.

At least sixty adult HNC patients, scheduled to receive radiotherapy (with or without chemotherapy), will be recruited over a five-month period. All participants will receive access to Prep-4-RT self-management resources. Participants identified through screening as high-risk will also be offered individualised interventions with relevant allied health professionals prior to the commencement of radiotherapy (psychologists, dietitians, speech pathologists and physiotherapists). Participants will complete evaluation surveys assessing their experiences with Prep-4-RT resources and interventions. Clinicians will also complete program evaluation surveys. Primary feasibility outcomes include adoption (uptake and intention to try) and fidelity (adherence to the specialist prehabilitation pathway). Secondary feasibility outcomes include acceptability (patient and clinician) of and satisfaction (patient) with Prep-4-RT as well as operational costs. Feasibility outcome data will be analysed using exact binomial and one-sample t tests, as appropriate.

Ethics approval has been obtained at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Results will be presented at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journal(s) so that it can be accessed by clinicians involved in the care of HNC patients receiving radiotherapy. If the model of care is found to be feasible and acceptable, the transferability and scalability to other cancer centres, or for other cancer types, may be investigated.

ANZCTA (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry) ACTRN12623000770662.

In recent years, prehabilitation has generated high expectations as an innovative preoperative strategy to enhance clinical outcomes following surgery. Several studies have demonstrated that multimodal programs are effective in improving patients' health status and cardiopulmonary reserve, allowing them to undergo surgery in better conditions and, consequently, reducing the incidence of postoperative complications. Most publications describe proof-of-concept studies, and literature about their implementation is more limited. The implementation of these programs requires new resources and significant organizational effort. In this paper, we share our experience implementing a multimodal prehabilitation program as a mainstream service at a tertiary hospital. Although there are still many unknowns regarding the optimal selection of patients, as well as the duration and components of the program, this article describes our journey in this field, aiming to provide insight for teams interested in developing a similar project.

Pre-treatment characteristics of women with early breast cancer that are associated with persistent fatigue or suboptimal health-related quality of life (HRQOL) post-chemotherapy need to be identified as potential targets for pre-habilitation.

Ancillary analysis of previously collected data from patients with newly diagnosed Stage I-III breast cancer scheduled to receive chemotherapy. The objective was to identify baseline (pre-chemotherapy) variables associated with meaningful deteriorations in fatigue and other measures of HRQOL from pre-treatment to 6 months after chemotherapy completion. Percentages are reported along with unadjusted and adjusted relative risks.

In a sample of 249 women post-chemotherapy, 32% reported worsening fatigue (FACIT-F), 35% worsening Physical Well-Being (PWB), 16% worsening Functional Well-Being (FWB), 8% worsening Emotional Well-Being (EWB), and 30% worsening Social Well-Being (SWB). In multivariable (MV) analysis, variables that were significant in univariate analysis - Black race, high BMI, and baseline poorer EWB - remained significant for worsening post-chemotherapy fatigue (FACIT-F). In MV analysis that included race, education, falls, and baseline EWB, Black race and a positive falls history remained significant for worsening PWB. In MV analysis inclusive of race, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and FWB, lower SPPB and FWB remained significant predictors of worsening FWB. In MV analysis that included baseline Mental Health Index-Anxiety, EWB and SWB, a higher SWB and lower EWB remained significant for worsening SWB.

Pre-chemotherapy characteristics in women with early-stage breast cancer that are associated with increased fatigue and reduced HRQOL post-treatment could be used to identify patients who may benefit from pre-habilitation interventions.

Presurgical optimisation programmes decrease the risk of postoperative complications, reduce hospital stays and speed up patient recovery. They usually involve a multidisciplinary team addressing physical, nutritional and psychosocial issues. The objective of this study was to assess the results of implementing a presurgical optimisation programme led by a liaison nurse in patients undergoing major surgery in a primary general hospital.

An observational, retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study based on the revision of patients' health records undergoing major surgery between January 2019 and December 2022. Patients entering the presurgical optimisation programme (intervention group) were compared with patients receiving usual medical care (control group). The presurgical optimisation programme consisted of oral nutritional supplementation, physical exercise, strengthening of lung capacity and psychological and emotional support. Frequency (%) of surgery complications and use of healthcare resources (duration of hospitalisation, time spent in the intensive care unit (ICU), and readmission) at day 30 were recorded. Descriptive statistics were applied.

Two hundred eleven patients (58.5% men, mean age: 65.76 years (SD 11.5), 75.2%. non-smokers; mean body mass index (BMI): 28.32 (SD 5.38); mean Nutritional Risk Score (NRS) 3.71 (SD 1.35; oncology diagnosis: 88.6%) were included: 135 in the intervention group, and 76 in the control group. The average duration of the presurgical optimisation programme was 20 days (SD 5). Frequency of postoperative complications was 25% (n = 33) in the intervention group and 52.6% (n = 40) in the control group (p < 0.001) [odds ratio (OR) = 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.8; 6.2)]. 14.5% (n = 19) of patients in the intervention group and 34.2% (n = 26) in the control group had remote postoperative complications [OR = 3.1; 95% CI (1.6; 6.2)]. Patients in the intervention group spent fewer days in the hospital [mean 8.34 (SD 6.70) vs 11.63 (SD 10.63)], and there were fewer readmissions at 30 days (7.6% vs 19.7%) compared with the control group.

A presurgical optimisation programme led by a liaison nurse decreases the rate of immediate and late surgical complications and reduces hospital stays and readmissions in patients undergoing major surgery.

The impact of multimodal prehabilitation on postoperative complications in upper abdominal surgeries is understudied. This review analyzes randomized trials on multimodal prehabilitation with patient and hospital outcomes. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched for trials on prehabilitation before elective (non-emergency) abdominal surgery. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed study quality. Primary outcomes of interest were postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) and all-cause complications; secondary outcomes included hospital and intensive care length of stay. A meta-analysis with random-effect models was performed, and heterogeneity was evaluated with I-square and Cochran's Q test. Dichotomous variables were reported in log-odds ratio and continuous variables were presented as mean difference. Ten studies (total 1503 patients) were included. Odds of developing complications after prehabilitation were significantly lower compared to various control groups (- 0.38 [- 0.75- - 0.004], P = 0.048). Five studies described PPCs, and participants with prehabilitation had decreased odds of PPC (- 0.96 [- 1.38- - 0.54], P < 0.001). Prehabilitation did not significantly reduce length of stay, unless exercise was implemented; with exercise, hospital stay decreased significantly (- 0.91 [- 1.67- - 0.14], P = 0.02). Multimodal prehabilitation may decrease complications in upper abdominal surgery, but not necessarily length of stay; research should address heterogeneity in the literature.

Prehabilitation, or interventions before surgery aimed at improving preoperative health and postoperative outcomes, has various forms. Although it may confer benefit to patients undergoing general surgery, this is not certain. Furthermore, although it may yield a net monetary gain, it is also likely to require substantial monetary and non-monetary investment. The impact of prehabilitation is highly variable and dependent on multiple factors. Physical function and pulmonary outcomes are likely to be improved by most forms of prehabilitation involving physical and multimodal exercise programmes. However, other surgical outcomes have demonstrated mixed results from prehabilitation. Within this issue, the measures used for evaluating baseline patient biopsychosocial health are important, and collecting sufficient data to accurately inform patient-centred prehabilitation programmes is only possible through thorough clinical and laboratory investigation and synthesised metrics such as cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Although a multimodal approach to prehabilitation is the current gold standard, societal factors may affect engagement with programmes that require a significant in-person activity. However, this is weighed against the substantial financial and non-financial investment that accompanies many programmes. The overall effectiveness and optimal mode of intervention across the discipline of general surgery remains unclear, and further research is needed to prove prehabilitation's full worth.

Meta-analyses have primarily focused on the effects of exercise-based prehabilitation on postoperative outcomes and ignored the role of nutritional intervention. In this study, we filled this gap by investigating the effect of nutrition-based prehabilitation on the postoperative outcomes of patients who underwent esophagectomy and gastrectomy.

Five electronic databases, namely, PubMed, the Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL, were searched. Adults diagnosed with esophagogastric cancer who were scheduled to undergo surgery and had undergone uni- or multimodal prehabilitation, with at least a week of mandatory nutritional intervention, were included. Forest plots were used to extract and visualize the data from the included studies. The occurrence of any postoperative complication was considered the primary endpoint.

Eight studies met the eligibility criteria, with five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three cohort studies. In total, 661 patients were included. Any prehabilitation, that is, unimodal (only nutrition) and multimodal prehabilitation, collectively decreased the risk of any postoperative complication by 23% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.66-0.90). A similar effect was exclusively observed for multimodal prehabilitation (risk ratio [RR] = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.66-0.93); however, it was not significant for unimodal prehabilitation. Any prehabilitation significantly decreased the length of hospital stay (LOS) (weighted mean difference = -0.77, 95% CI = -1.46 to -0.09).

Nutrition-based prehabilitation, particularly multimodal prehabilitation, confers protective effects against postoperative complications after esophagectomy and gastrectomy. Our findings suggest that prehabilitation slightly decreases LOS; however, the finding is not clinically significant. Therefore, additional rigorous RCTs are warranted for further substantiation.

This study aims to explore the nursing effect of a multimodal pre-rehabilitation programme guided by BCW theory on elderly women patients with breast cancer.

The participants were divided into two groups. The study group was administered with the pre-rehabilitation model guided by BCW theory; the control group was administered with conventional methods. The rehabilitation effects of the two groups were compared..

The scores of RISC, PTGI and FACT-B were higher in the study group(P < 0.05). The SUPPH score and ROM compliance rate were higher in the study group (P < 0.05) (96% vs 72%). The avoidance score and yield score were lower in the study group(P < 0.05).

A multimodal pre-rehabilitation program guided by BCW theory can significantly improve the quality of life and functional status of elderly women patients with breast cancer, and its popularisation and application are recommended.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent cancer diagnosis among women worldwide. Several randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews have shown the benefits of exercise before, during, and after cancer treatment to manage side effects related to cancer and its therapies. However, these are poorly implemented across the disease-span, specifically, during the preoperative setting. Methods: Patients diagnosed with BC and participating in a randomized controlled trial on the effects of a prehabilitation program based on Nordic walking, muscle strengthening, and therapeutic education were invited to participate in this qualitative substudy. Two groups of eight patients each were recorded, transcript and analyzed using a specialized software (Atlas-Ti®, version 24). Results: During the axial codification phase, 22 unique codes and 6 main themes were identified related to their experience with the program, namely, (1) information received prior to participating; (2) motivation to participate; (3) barriers; (4) facilitators; (5) perceived degree of support from healthcare workers as well as peers; and (6) satisfaction with the characteristics of the prehabilitation program. Conclusions: Patients interviewed showed great interest in prehabilitation as a way to prepare both physically and mentally for surgery. In order to implement these interventions, healthcare systems need to acknowledge barriers and facilitators as well as the need for these programs to be supervised and monitored to avoid adverse events.

Predicting short- and long-term outcomes of oncological therapies is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies. Malnutrition and the host immune status significantly affect outcomes in major surgeries.

To assess the value of preoperative prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in predicting outcomes in gastric cancer patients.

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on patients undergoing curative-intent surgery for gastric adenocarcinoma between 2009 and 2020. PNI was calculated as follows: PNI=(10 x albumin [g/dL])+(0.005 x lymphocytes [nº/mm3]). The optimal cutoff value was determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve (PNI cutoff=52), and patients were grouped into low and high PNI.

Of the 529 patients included, 315 (59.5%) were classified as a low-PNI group (PNI<52) and 214 (40.5%) as a high-PNI group (PNI≥52). Older age (p=0.050), male sex (p=0.003), American Society of Anesthesiologists score (ASA) III/IV (p=0.001), lower hemoglobin level (p<0.001), lower body mass index (p=0.001), higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (p<0.001), D1 lymphadenectomy, advanced pT stage, pN+ and more advanced pTNM stage were related to low-PNI patient. Furthermore, 30-day (1.4 vs. 4.8%; p=0.036) and 90-day (3.3 vs. 10.5%; p=0.002) mortality rates were higher in low-PNI compared to high-PNI group. Disease-free and overall survival were worse in low-PNI patients compared to high-PNI (p<0.001 for both). ASA III/IV score, low-PNI, pT3/T4, and pN+ were independent risk factors for worse survival.

Preoperative PNI can predict short- and long-term outcomes of patients with gastric cancer after curative gastrectomy. Low PNI is an independent factor related to worse disease-free and overall survival.

Prehabilitation (PH) is purported to improve patients' preoperative functional status. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to compare short-term postoperative outcomes between patients who underwent a protocolized PH program and the existing standard of care among colorectal cancer patients awaiting surgery.

A search in MEDLINE/PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL was conducted to identify relevant articles. Repetitive and exhaustive combinations of MeSH search terms ("prehabilitation," "colorectal cancer," "colon cancer," and "rectal cancer") were used to identify randomized and nonrandomized studies comparing PH versus standard of care for colorectal cancer patients awaiting surgery. The primary outcomes included postoperative morbidity, length of hospital stay, and readmission rates.

Seven studies including 1,042 colorectal cancer patients (PH, 382) were included. No significant differences were found in intraoperative outcomes. The postoperative complication rates were comparable between groups (Clavien-Dindo grades I and II: risk ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-1.07; P=0.15; Clavien-Dindo grades ≥III: risk ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-1.44; P=0.92). There were also no significant differences in length of hospital stay (P=0.21) or the risk of 30-day readmission (P=0.68).

Although PH does not appear to improve short-term postoperative outcomes following colorectal cancer surgery, the quality of evidence is impaired by the limited trials and heterogeneity. Thus, further large-scale trials are warranted to draw definitive conclusions and establish the long-term effects of PH.