A Prehabilitation Program to Boost Postoperative Functional Capacity in Surgical Lung Cancer Patients

A Prehabilitation Program to Boost Postoperative Functional Capacity in Surgical Lung Cancer Patients: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This research study is evaluating a prehabiliation intervention designed to improve postoperative functional capacity (measured by 6-minure walking distance) in individuals undergoing lung resection for cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who are diagnosed of stage I, II, or IIIA Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) diagnosis, with or without pre-operative histologic confirmation
2. Patients scheduled to undergo lung resection surgery at least two weeks from recruitment
3. Patients with a Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 0 or 1 at recruitment
4. Patients with no evidence of recurrent or progressive disease
5. Patients aged 45-80 years
6. Patients able to communicate in Cantonese, Mandarin, or English
7. Patients is absence of any cognitive impairment
8. Patients with a score of 6 minutes walking test (6MWT) ≤ 500 meters at baseline. [rationale: a threshold value of 500 meters preoperative 6MWT predicts a higher risk of postoperative complications and prolonged LOS after lung resection]
9. Engagement in less than 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week in the past 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who had engaged in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week in the past three months
2. Presence of another concurrent, actively treated malignancy
3. Presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
4. Presence of significant comorbidities that impede ability to engage in exercise, such as congestive heart failure, orthopedic disorders of the lower limbs, respiratory failure, or the need for portable oxygen therapy for activities of daily living
5. Not having a smart device to receive WhatsApp messages