Major cancer surgery is still marked by a high rate of postoperative complications, despite the advances in patient perioperative management. A reduced functional capacity of patients in the preoperative period has been associated with longer recovery times and higher morbidity and mortality rates. Current prehabilitation programs include aerobic exercises, personalized nutritional supplementation and interventions to reduce anxiety and stress. Physical exercise protocols usually consist of home-based, unsupervised activities.
This prospective observational clinical study aims to evaluate the impact of a trimodal prehabilitation program in patients referred for colorectal cancer surgery. The physical exercise protocol features novel elements: supervised sessions and measurement of the amount of physical activity carried out daily by means of activity-trackers. The main indicators of functional capacity will be evaluated at baseline, at weeks 2 and 4 during the prehabilitation program, and then postoperatively at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery.