Optimizing Physical Function Before Cancer Surgery in Older People at Risk

Optimizing Physical Function Before Surgery: Effects on Complications and Physical Function After Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery in Older People at Risk- A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial is a multicentre study designed to explore the effects of preoperative exercise on physical fitness, postoperative complications, recovery, and health-related quality of life in older individuals at risk scheduled to undergo colorectal cancer surgery. The hypothesis is that older patients with low preoperative physical capacity will benefit from preoperative exercise in terms of lower risk for postoperative complications and improved recovery after surgery.

Reduced physical capacity and performance associated with advancing age may decrease the ability to withstand the strain of a major surgical intervention. Exercise prior to surgery is a key component of prehabilitation. The goal of prehabilitation is to enhance preoperative physical fitness to attenuate postoperative decline and possibly decrease the risk of postoperative complications.

A previous observational study showed that better preoperative physical performance in measures of walking distance, leg strength, inspiratory muscle strength and maximal gait speed reduced the risk of severe postoperative complications for older patients undergoing abdominal cancer surgery. Furthermore, gait speed has been suggested to add information to current preoperative risk screening, where a cut of value of a maximal gait speed below 2 meters/second indicates a higher risk for postoperative complications.

This planned trial will be conducted in cooperation with the Karolinska University Hospital, Ersta Hospital, The Stockholm South General Hospital and several primary care units in Stockholm. To target older patients at risk, patients aged 65 and older with a maximal gait speed under 2 meters/second will be included. Participants will be randomized to either intervention- or control group and trained physiotherapists or nurses from the hospitals, will conduct the assessments. All baseline measures will be collected before randomization.

The implementation of standardized cancer care pathways in Sweden has led to reduced time between diagnosis to curative treatment. For colorectal surgery, the time from decision to treatment is set to two weeks. Therefore, an exercise program aimed to enhance physical function prior to surgery require a high intensity and high frequency approach. The exercise program will be home-based and consist of inspiratory muscle training, endurance- and strength exercise under the supervision of trained physiotherapists from primary care units. To assess feasibility of the planned intervention, a pilot study was conducted. The results showed high compliance and acceptability among the participants which provides a starting point for this larger study designed to explore the effects of preoperative exercise on:

1. Preoperative physical function in a short-term perspective
2. Postoperative complications and functional decline
3. Length of in-hospital stay, mortality, health-related quality of life, physical activity level and independency in activities in daily living in a long-term perspective

Inclusion Criteria:

• Scheduled surgery due to colorectal cancer or liver metastases from colorectal cancer
• Age ≥65
• A maximal walking speed below 2 meters per second
• Understands and speaks the Swedish language

Exclusion Criteria:

• Planned hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedure or flap surgery
• Health conditions that prevent participation in assessment or exercise. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, unstable heart disease, severe systematic illness or orthopaedic conditions that may prohibit exercise.
• The need for surgery within 2 weeks
• Permanent wheelchair user
• Residence outside of Stockholm County