Preoperative Nutritional Conditioning: Why, When and How

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Nutrition
• Geriatrics

Background:

• Malnutrition is common in elderly cancer surgery patients, increasing complications and delaying recovery.
• Enhanced recovery after surgery and rehabilitation focus on post-operative improvement.
• Prehabilitation targets the pre-operative phase with multimodal strategies, including nutritional support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of prehabilitation in optimizing surgical recovery for cancer patients.
• To highlight the importance of preoperative nutritional support in improving patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Implementing preoperative nutritional conditioning approximately 4 weeks before surgery.
• Ensuring a daily protein intake of at least 1.2 g/kg body weight.
• Combining nutritional support with exercise programs tailored to the patient's condition.

Main Results:

• Nutritional conditioning increases functional reserve, optimizing post-operative recovery.
• Individualized meal plans are crucial for meeting patient nutritional requirements.
• Whey proteins and milk proteins are effective sources for meeting protein intake goals.

Conclusions:

• Prehabilitation, encompassing nutritional support and exercise, is vital for cancer surgery patients.
• A care continuum from pre- to post-operative phases, including prehabilitation, enhances functional capacity.
• Recognizing and implementing prehabilitation strategies is essential for all cancer patient care specialists.