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Introduction: Although the benefits of post-operative rehabilitation in cancer surgery are well established, the role of prehabilitation is less defined. Oesophagogastric cancers present a unique opportunity to study the impact of prehabilitation during the neoadjuvant window, whether with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy (NCT) in patients who are frequently nutritionally depleted. This trial examines the impact of a community-based exercise programme on patient fitness during and after the neoadjuvant window. Methods: A pragmatic, randomized controlled multicentre trial was undertaken in three centres. Inclusion criteria were patients aged at least 18 years planned for NCT and esophagectomy or gastrectomy. Participants were randomized 1:1 to an exercise prehabilitation group (EX) or to usual care (UC). The primary endpoint was cardiorespiratory fitness between baseline and pre-surgery time point using the 6-minute walk test (MVT). Secondary endpoints included a hand dynamometer, 10-s sit-to-stand, activity behaviour, body mass index, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires assessing the quality of life, surgical fear, general self-efficacy and mastery. Results: Between March 2019 and December 2020, 71 participants were recruited: EX ( n =36) or UC ( n =35). From baseline to pre-surgery, the difference-in-difference (DID) for EX showed a significant improvement in 6MWT of 50.7 m ( P =0.05) compared to UC [mean (SD): 522.1 m (+/−104.3) to 582.1 m (+/−108) vs. 497.5 m (+/−106.3) to 506.0 m (+/−140.4). There was no statistically significant DID for secondary outcome measures. Conclusions: This community exercise prehabilitation programme significantly improves physical fitness for surgery, is feasible and provides a standardized framework for the prescription of exercise in oesophagogastric cancer patients undergoing NCT.
Loughney et al. (Thu,) studied this question.