Meta-analysis of the impact of prehabilitation on patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal tract tumor surgery

BACKGROUND Upper gastrointestinal cancer (UGIC), including esophageal and gastric cancers, poses a major global health challenge due to its high morbidity and mortality. During the preoperative period, patients often face functional decline, malnutrition, and psychological stress, which can impair recovery. Prehabilitation, a multidisciplinary preoperative intervention, shows promise in optimizing patients' physical and mental status. AIM To evaluate the impact of prehabilitation on patients undergoing UGIC surgery and provide a basis for implementation of the prehabilitation compound plan. METHODS A computerized search of databases including Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database was used to collect clinical trials on the impact of prehabilitation on patients undergoing UGIC surgery. After screening, a meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.0 software, and linear regression analysis was performed on the prehabilitation duration and outcome indicators. RESULTS A total of 13 clinical trials were ultimately included, with 8 literature quality evaluations at A level and 5 literature quality evaluations at B level. The meta-analysis results showed that compared with conventional nursing, the prehabilitation group had higher six-minute walk distance, lower postoperative complications and mortality rates, and shorter hospital stays, with statistically significant differences; there were no statistically significant differences in intensive care unit monitoring time and albumin levels between the two groups; regression analysis between prehabilitation duration and outcome indicators showed no significant relationship. CONCLUSION Prehabilitation can improve the perioperative functional ability of patients with UGIC and promote postoperative recovery, but its impact on nutrition, psychology, and quality of life needs to be further explored through more high-quality trials; in addition, further research is needed on the prehabilitation time, location, and specific plan.