Prehabilitation Improves Outcomes in Abdominal Cancer Surgery

A multimodal prehabilitation program enhances functional capacity and body composition before abdominal surgeries for cancer, impacting patient recovery.

  • Participants showed improved peak oxygen uptake by 0.6 ml/kg/min and muscle strength gains of up to 18.9 kg in leg press.
  • However, these improvements were not sustained postoperatively, with measures often returning to baseline or declining.

Surgeons should consider integrating prehabilitation programs to optimize recovery but remain cautious about long-term benefits.

  • Gains varied by tumor type, neoadjuvant therapy, and training compliance, indicating the need for tailored approaches.

Journal Article by Drager LD, van den Heuvel B (…) Verlaan S et 3 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2026. The Author(s).

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