Fit4Surgery for cancer patients during covid-19 lockdown - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Prehabilitation is a promising method to enhance postoperative recovery, especially in patients suffering from cancer. Particularly during times of social distancing, providing home-based programmes may have become a suitable solution to increase compliance and effectiveness. METHODS: In line with the PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted including trials that investigated the effect of home-based prehabilitation (HBP) in patients undergoing surgery for cancer. The primary outcome was postoperative functional capacity (6 min walk test, 6MWT). Secondary outcomes were postoperative complications and compliance. RESULTS: Five randomized controlled trials were included with 351 patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer, oesophagogastric cancer, bladder cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Three studies presented results of significant progress after eight weeks. The meta-analysis showed a significant improvement of the 6MWT in the prehabilitation group compared to the control group preoperatively (MD 35.06; 95% CI 11.58 to 58.54; p = .003) and eight weeks postoperatively (MD 44.91; 95% CI 6.04 to 83.79; p = .02) compared to baseline. Compliance rate varied from 63% to 83% with no significant difference between prehabilitation and control groups. These data must be interpreted with caution because of a high amount of heterogeneity and small sample sizes. DISCUSSION: In conclusion, HBP may enhance overall functional capacity of patients receiving oncological surgery compared to standard of care. This could be a promising alternative to hospital-based prehabilitation regarding the current pandemic and further digitalization in the future. In order to increase accessibility and effectiveness of prehabilitation, home-based solutions should be further investigated.

Systematic review of exercise training in colorectal cancer patients during treatment.

Colorectal cancer surgery results in considerable postoperative morbidity, mortality and reduced quality of life. As many patients will undergo additional (neo)adjuvant therapy, it is imperative that each individual optimize their physical function. To elucidate the potential of exercise in patient optimization, we investigated the evidence for an exercise program before and after surgical treatment in colorectal cancer patients. A systematic review was conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, the guidelines of the Physical Therapy Journal and the PRISMA guidelines. No literature pertaining to exercise training during preoperative neoadjuvant treatment was found. Seven studies, investigating the effects of regular exercise during adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with colorectal cancer or a mixed population, were identified. A small effect (effect size (ES) 0.4) of endurance/interval training and strength training (ES 0.4) was found in two studies conducted in patients with colorectal and gastrointestinal cancer. In five studies that included a mixed population of cancer patients, interval training resulted in a large improvement (ES 1.5; P≤.05). Endurance training alone was found to increase both lower extremity strength and endurance capacity. The effects of strength training in the lower extremity are moderate, whereas, in the upper extremity, the increase is small. There is limited evidence available on exercise training during treatment in colorectal cancer patients. One study concluded exercise therapy may be beneficial for colorectal cancer patients during adjuvant treatment. The possible advantages of training during neoadjuvant treatment may be explored by prehabilitation trials.

Intraoperative modifiable risk factors of colorectal anastomotic leakage: Why surgeons and anesthesiologists should act together.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal anastomotic leakage (CAL) is a major surgical complication in intestinal surgery. Despite many optimizations in patient care, the incidence of CAL is stable (3-19%) [1]. Previous research mainly focused on determining patient and surgery related risk factors. Intraoperative non-surgery related risk factors for anastomotic healing also contribute to surgical outcome. This review offers an overview of potential modifiable risk factors that may play a role during the operation. METHODS: Two independent literature searches were performed using EMBASE, Pubmed and Cochrane databases. Both clinical and experimental studies published in English from 1985 to August 2015 were included. The main outcome measure was the risk of anastomotic leakage and other postoperative complications during colorectal surgery. Determined risk factors of CAL were stated as strong evidence (level I and II high quality studies), and potential risk factors as either moderate evidence (experimental studies level III), or weak evidence (level IV or V studies). RESULTS: The final analysis included 117 articles. Independent factors of CAL are diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia and a high HbA1c, anemia, blood loss, blood transfusions, prolonged operating time, intraoperative events and contamination and a lack of antibiotics. Unequivocal are data on blood pressure, the use of inotropes/vasopressors, oxygen suppletion, type of analgesia and goal directed fluid therapy. No studies could be found identifying the impact of body core temperature or mean arterial pressure on CAL. Subjective factors such as the surgeons' own assessment of local perfusion and visibility of the operating field have not been the subject of relevant studies for occurrence in patients with CAL. CONCLUSION: Both surgery related and non-surgery related risk factors that can be modified must be identified to improve colorectal care. Surgeons and anesthesiologists should cooperate on these items in their continuous effort to reduce the number of CAL. A registration study determining individual intraoperative risk factors of CAL is currently performed as a multicenter cohort study in the Netherlands.