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Piraux E1,2,3, Caty G1,3, Reychler G2,3,4
1Université Catholique de Louvain / Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Neuro Musculo Skeletal Lab, Brussels, Belgium, 2Université Catholique de Louvain / Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Pôle de Pneumologie, ORL & Dermatologie, Brussels, Belgium, 3Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Brussels, Belgium, 4Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Service de Pneumologie, Brussels, Belgium
Background: Surgical management remains the cornerstone of treatment for many cancers, but is associated with a high rate of postoperative complications, which are linked to poor preoperative functional capacity. Prehabilitation may have beneficial effects on functional capacity and postoperative outcomes.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of prehabilitation combining endurance and resistance training (CT) on physical fitness, quality of life (QoL) and postoperative outcomes in cancer patients undergoing tumour resection surgery.
Methods: We performed a literature search in PubMed, PEDro, EMBASE (via Scopus) and the Cochrane library for clinical trials until September 2017. Randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of CT in adult cancer patients undergoing surgery were included when at least one of the following outcomes was reported: physical capacity, muscle strength, QoL, length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications and mortality.
Results: Ten studies (360 patients) were retrieved and included patients with lung, colorectal, bladder and oesophageal cancer. No adverse effects of CT were reported. Compared with the control group, CT improved physical capacity (3 of 5 studies), muscle strength (2 of 3 studies) and some domains of QoL (2 of 4 studies), shortened LOS (1 of 6 studies) and reduced postoperative pulmonary complications (2 of 6 studies).
Conclusion(s): The benefits of CT in cancer population are demonstrated. CT may improve physical fitness and QoL and decrease LOS and postoperative pulmonary complications. However, our conclusions are limited by the heterogeneity of the preoperative CT programs, patient characteristics and measurement tools. Future research is required to determine the optimal composition of CT.
Implications: Prehabilitation in cancer patients undergoing tumour resection surgery may be an opportunity to optimize functional capacity before surgery and to improve postoperative recovery and quality of life. This preoperative process makes patients with cancer involved in their treatment and should be encourage by health care providers.
Keywords: Exercise therapy, Neoplasms, Surgery
Funding acknowledgements: Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FRIA - FNRS).
Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (UCL - Belgium).
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of prehabilitation combining endurance and resistance training (CT) on physical fitness, quality of life (QoL) and postoperative outcomes in cancer patients undergoing tumour resection surgery.
Methods: We performed a literature search in PubMed, PEDro, EMBASE (via Scopus) and the Cochrane library for clinical trials until September 2017. Randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of CT in adult cancer patients undergoing surgery were included when at least one of the following outcomes was reported: physical capacity, muscle strength, QoL, length of stay (LOS), postoperative complications and mortality.
Results: Ten studies (360 patients) were retrieved and included patients with lung, colorectal, bladder and oesophageal cancer. No adverse effects of CT were reported. Compared with the control group, CT improved physical capacity (3 of 5 studies), muscle strength (2 of 3 studies) and some domains of QoL (2 of 4 studies), shortened LOS (1 of 6 studies) and reduced postoperative pulmonary complications (2 of 6 studies).
Conclusion(s): The benefits of CT in cancer population are demonstrated. CT may improve physical fitness and QoL and decrease LOS and postoperative pulmonary complications. However, our conclusions are limited by the heterogeneity of the preoperative CT programs, patient characteristics and measurement tools. Future research is required to determine the optimal composition of CT.
Implications: Prehabilitation in cancer patients undergoing tumour resection surgery may be an opportunity to optimize functional capacity before surgery and to improve postoperative recovery and quality of life. This preoperative process makes patients with cancer involved in their treatment and should be encourage by health care providers.
Keywords: Exercise therapy, Neoplasms, Surgery
Funding acknowledgements: Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FRIA - FNRS).
Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (UCL - Belgium).
Topic: Oncology, HIV & palliative care
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc et de l’Université Catholique de Louvain
Ethics committee: Comité d’éthique Hospitalo-Facultaire
Reason not required: This study is a systematic review. This type of study does not require ethics committee or institutional review board approval.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
