Long‐term results of a short‐term home‐based pre‐ and postoperative exercise intervention on physical recovery after colorectal cancer surgery (<scp>PHYSSURG‐C</scp>): a randomized clinical trial
Aron Onerup, Ying Li, Kevin Afshari, Eva Angenete, Hanna de la Croix, Carolina Ehrencrona, Anette Wedin, Eva Haglind
Abstract
AIM: The aim of this work was to assess the effect of a short-term, home-based exercise intervention before and after colorectal cancer surgery on 12-month physical recovery within a previously reported randomized control trial (RCT). METHOD: PHYSSURG-C is an RCT in six participating hospitals in Sweden. Patients aged ≥20 years planned for elective colorectal cancer surgery were eligible. The intervention consisted of unsupervised moderate-intensity physical activity 2 weeks preoperatively and 4 weeks postoperatively. Usual care was control. The primary outcome measure in PHYSSURG-C was self-assessed physical recovery 4 weeks postoperatively. The predefined long-term follow-up outcomes included: self-assessed physical recovery 12 months postoperatively and reoperations and readmissions 91-365 days postoperatively. The statistical models were adjusted with tumour site (colon or rectum), neoadjuvant therapy (none, radiotherapy or chemo/radiotherapy) and type of surgery (open or laparoscopic). RESULTS: A total of 616 participants were available for the 12-month follow-up. Groups were balanced at baseline regarding demographic and treatment variables. There was no effect from the intervention on self-reported physical recovery [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.91, p = 0.60], the risk of reoperation (OR 0.97, p = 0.91) or readmission (OR 0.88, p = 0.58). CONCLUSION: The pre- and postoperative unsupervised moderate-intensity exercise intervention had no effect on long-term physical recovery after elective colorectal cancer surgery. There is still not enough evidence to support clinical guidelines on preoperative exercise to improve outcome after colorectal cancer surgery.