Speakers
Description
Introduction
Prehabilitation is increasingly recognised as a critical component of cancer surgery pathways. However, data outlining the degree of postoperative functional decline despite prehabilitation is not well documented in this patient group.
This pilot study aimed to assess postoperative functional decline in a surgical cohort who received prehabilitation, and evaluate the impact of a 12 week rehabilitation programme following major oncology surgery.
Patients and Methods
28 patients who completed prehabilitation were enrolled in a 12 week rehabilitation programme beginning at 6 weeks after surgery (N: Bladder=12 Oesophageal=11, HPB=3, Ovarian=2)
Functional capacity was reassessed using the same measures collected during prehabilitation: the 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT), 60 second sit to stand test (STS60), and handgrip strength (HGS).
Participants attended twice weekly exercise classes delivered virtually or in person. Outcome measures were repeated at programme completion, and anonymised qualitative feedback gathered via a questionnaire.
Results
Patients demonstrated a statistically significant decline in functional capacity post-surgery (14.5% reduction in 6MWT and 22.9% reduction in STS60, p-value of .001).
Inclusion of a 12 week rehabilitation programme after surgery demonstrated statistically significant improvements in functional capacity (17.6% increase in 6WMT and 39.7% increase in STS60 p-value of .001).
100% of patients would recommend the addition of rehabilitation to their prehabilitation programme.
Conclusion
Results show consistent patterns across tumour groups, demonstrating that surgery causes a marked functional decline, despite prehabilitation, and that rehabilitation restores or exceeds pre surgery function.
Robust rehabilitation provision following surgery for oncological conditions is increasingly expected by patients and should be considered as part of standard care within cancer pathways.
Keywords
Prehabilitation
Rehabilitation
Surgery
Functional capacity
| Abstract submitters declaration | yes |
|---|---|
| Conflict of Interest & Ethical Approval | yes |
