Surgical Prehabilitation of Cancer Patients Undergoing Colorectal Resection. Modalities to Mitigate the Level of Anxiety and Depression Prior to Surgery.
Surgical Prehabilitation of Cancer Patients Undergoing Colorectal Resection. Modalities to Mitigate the Level of Anxiety and Depression Prior to Surgery.
Psychological distress is common among adults newly diagnosed with cancer and those awaiting cancer treatment(s). Although preoperative psychological distress has been shown to be associated with poorer physical health and adverse treatments among colorectal cancer survivors, few psychological interventions have been developed to reduce distress, and improve physical health in the preoperative period. Moreover, whether a preoperative psychological intervention, delivered in addition to a multimodal Prehabilitation program can improve psychological and physical health remains unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this pilot cohort study was to examine the impact of a structured psychological intervention, given in addition to standard Prehabilitation, on preoperative psychological health and functional capacity in colorectal cancer patients awaiting surgery.
All participants will receive a multimodal prehabilitation program preoperatively for 4 weeks, composed of three elements: aerobic and strength training exercise program, nutritional counselling and psychological support. The exercise program will be three times per week and include a combination of home-based (twice per week) and supervised (once per week) sessions. Participants' nutritional status and dietary intake will be assessed by a registered dietician/nutritionist, and a whey protein supplement (Immunocal) will be prescribed to achieve a daily intake of 1.5 g protein/kg. Psychological support will consist of a 90-minute interview/session at baseline and weekly in-person follow-ups before surgery aimed at reducing psychological distress and improving adherence to the exercise program and nutritional recommendations. Perioperative care will follow the McGill Surgical Recovery Pathway, also called Enhanced Recovery Program, which is an evidence-based care plan set up by the Surgical Recovery (SuRe) multidisciplinary committee of the McGill University Health Centre.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
- Have health condition(s) interfering with ability to safely perform exercise at home or to complete testing procedures (e.g., non-ambulatory, dementia, severe end-organ disease, morbid obesity, cardiac abnormalities)