Prehabilitation Interventions in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Gastroenterology
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Colorectal cancer surgery relies on resection, with prehabilitation aiming to improve patient readiness and reduce complications.
• Current prehabilitation lacks standardized definitions for its components (nutrition, exercise, psychological support) and duration.
• Multimodal approaches show promise, but clinical efficacy requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness of multimodal prehabilitation programs for patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Main Methods:

• Searched major databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library) up to August 2023.
• Included randomized controlled trials, prospective, and retrospective studies on multimodal prehabilitation for colorectal surgery patients.
• Utilized a random-effects model for meta-analysis.

Main Results:

• Analyzed 14 articles involving 2314 patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.
• Multimodal prehabilitation significantly reduced hospital stay by an average of 2.47 days.
• Observed a significant decrease in postoperative complication rates (OR=0.74) and faster bowel function recovery (0.43 days sooner).

Conclusions:

• Multimodal prehabilitation before colorectal cancer surgery is effective in reducing hospital stay duration.
• These interventions lower postoperative complication rates and accelerate bowel recovery.
• Benefits are particularly noted in older patient populations undergoing colorectal cancer surgery.