Improved Cardiorespiratory Fitness with Rehabilitation After UGI Cancer Surgery

A randomized trial shows that a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation program significantly enhances cardiorespiratory fitness in survivors of upper gastrointestinal cancer surgery compared to standard care.

• Patients in the rehabilitation group saw a mean increase in VO₂peak of 1.5 ml/min/kg at post-intervention and 1.23 ml/min/kg at follow-up.
• No significant differences were observed in other secondary outcomes like muscle strength or quality of life.

This evidence supports integrating targeted rehabilitation to enhance recovery in this patient population.