What is Prehabilitation and Why It Matters Before Cancer Surgery
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Prehabilitation is a way to help patients get physically and mentally stronger before surgery. It’s like preparing your body for a big event — in this case, cancer surgery. For people with digestive system cancers, such as stomach, colon, or liver cancer, prehabilitation can make a big difference.
How Prehabilitation Helps
The main goal of prehabilitation is to reduce the risk of complications after surgery and help patients recover faster. It usually includes three parts:
- Exercise: To build strength and endurance.
- Nutrition: To improve diet and energy levels.
- Mental support: To reduce stress and anxiety before surgery.
All these steps are designed to help the body handle surgery better.
Key Findings from the Study
Researchers reviewed 20 high-quality studies involving over 1,700 patients. Here’s what they found:
- Fewer complications after surgery: People who did prehabilitation had 26% fewer overall complications than those who didn’t.
- Better fitness levels: Patients who followed an exercise plan could walk farther in six minutes before and four weeks after surgery. This is a simple test doctors use to check how well someone’s body is working.
- High participation and success: 90% of patients completed their prehabilitation program, showing it’s both practical and well accepted.
What Prehabilitation Doesn’t Change
Not everything improved. For example:
- No big change in hospital stay length: The number of days patients stayed in the hospital was similar with or without prehabilitation.
- No clear drop in serious complications: While minor issues were fewer, very serious complications were about the same in both groups.
- No long-term benefit beyond 4 weeks: Fitness improvements didn’t last beyond a month after surgery.
Who Benefits the Most?
Younger patients under 70 and those who followed high-intensity, supervised exercise programs for fewer than four weeks showed the best results. A combination of exercise, nutrition, and mental support (known as a multimodal approach) worked better than exercise alone.
Is Prehabilitation Right for Everyone?
Not all patients are the same. Some might be too weak, already have other health issues, or need surgery quickly. But for many, prehabilitation is a safe and helpful option. It doesn’t need fancy equipment — even walking at home with guidance can help.
What Should You Do If You Have Surgery Coming Up?
- Ask your doctor about prehabilitation: It may be available as part of your treatment plan.
- Start moving early: Even simple exercises can help improve your strength.
- Eat well and stay hydrated: Good nutrition helps healing.
- Talk about stress: Mental health is part of your recovery too.
Final Thoughts
Prehabilitation before digestive system cancer surgery can improve short-term recovery, reduce minor complications, and is easy to follow for most patients. While it doesn’t solve everything, it’s a smart way to prepare your body and mind for the challenge ahead.