Enhancing Outcomes Through Preoperative Rehabilitation for Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Strategies and Effects

Category	Detail
Condition	Colorectal Cancer
Key Mechanisms	Prehabilitation interventions aimed at enhancing functional capacity and physiological reserve.
Target Population	Patients diagnosed with primary colorectal cancer scheduled for elective primary tumor resection.
Care Setting	Surgical department of a large teaching hospital.

Up to 44% of patients experience postoperative complications after major abdominal oncological surgery.
Higher physical activity levels are positive predictors for postoperative recovery.
Prehabilitation may lead to clinically meaningful improvements in preoperative functional exercise capacity.
Standardised prehabilitation programmes are being implemented to optimise patient outcomes.
Assessment of physical status, diet, and negative factors is crucial for prehabilitation.

Screen patients for prehabilitation based on clinical assessment of physical activity and nutritional status.

Implement a standardised prehabilitation programme including exercise, nutrition, and psychological strategies.

Conduct regular evaluations of patient progress and adjust prehabilitation strategies as needed.

Patients with low preoperative cardiorespiratory fitness have increased risk for postoperative complications.

Patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer surgery.

Referral for prehabilitation based on clinical assessments and baseline screenings.

Utilise a multimodal approach coordinated by a multidisciplinary team.
Conduct baseline screenings including VO2max assessment and physical fitness tests.
Consider postponing surgery for patients with very low VO2max to allow for health optimisation.

Clinical Scorecard: Enhancing Outcomes Through Preoperative Rehabilitation for Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Strategies and Effects