NCT06404489

Brief Summary

The importance of postoperative rehabilitation on physical performance and recovery is well-recognized. However, the preoperative period constitutes a unique opportunity to address comorbidities and modifiable risk factors, improve functional capacity and address deficiencies in physiologic reserve, which might otherwise preclude surgery or significantly impede recovery. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a multimodal program of prehabilitation in patients undergoing major oncological gastrointestinal surgery. The hypothesis is that severe post-operative complications within 30 days will be reduced in the treatment group compared to the control group.

Trial Health

57
Monitor

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Trial has exceeded expected completion date
Enrollment
400

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started May 2024

Geographic Reach
1 country

2 active sites

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 24, 2024

Completed
14 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 8, 2024

Completed
8 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 16, 2024

Completed
1.3 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 1, 2025

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

October 1, 2025

Completed
Last Updated

August 6, 2025

Status Verified

August 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

1.3 years

First QC Date

April 24, 2024

Last Update Submit

August 5, 2025

Conditions

Keywords

PrehabilitationMultimodal prehabilitation programStandard care treatmentMajor gastrointestinal surgeryHospital stayFunctional walkingNutritionDietExerciseRelaxationOncologyFunctional recoveryAnesthesiology

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Postoperative complications

    Reduction of incidence of postoperative complications.

    Evaluation of severe post-operative complications within 30 days

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Lenght of hospital stay

    30 days after surgery

  • Proportion of patients returning to preoperative functional walking capacity

    30 days after surgery, 90 days follow up after surgery

Study Arms (2)

Prehabilitation

EXPERIMENTAL

Prehabilitation arm group will receive preoperative intervention which includes exercise training, nutritional therapy and anxiety reducing techniques, aimed at preventing or attenuating surgery-driven functional decline.

Behavioral: Multimodal prehabilitation Program

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Standard care treatment. Application of ERAS pathways (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery)

Interventions

A tailored intervention will be prescribed if specific physical, nutritional or psychological impairments will be identified during the assessment phase. Based on the data obtained during the multimodal assessment, different domains and levels of care will be prescribed, focusing on exercise training, and/or nutrition optimization, and/or distress-coping techniques. Different combinations of three domains will be utilized to maximize their synergistic anabolic effect. The duration of program will be set at 4 weeks. All activities will be performed in dedicated suites at each site, under supervision of qualified health professionals.

Prehabilitation

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • All adult patients (age \> 18 years) scheduled for elective gastrointestinal surgery for cancer.
  • Signed informed consent

You may not qualify if:

  • Co-morbid medical, physical, and mental conditions interfering with the ability to complete study procedures, such as:
  • acute or unstable cardio-respiratory conditions (e.g., unstable angina or symptomatic severe aortic stenosis)
  • severe/end-stage organ diseases (e.g., cardiac failure NYHA functional classes III-IV, COPD FEV1 \<50% pred, end-stage kidney or liver disease);
  • American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classes 4-5.
  • disabling orthopedic and neuromuscular disease.
  • psychosis, dementia;
  • symptomatic anemia.
  • Pregnancy

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (2)

Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria

Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

NOT YET RECRUITING

IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute

Milan, 20132, Italy

RECRUITING

Related Publications (21)

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    PMID: 10927999BACKGROUND
  • Bautmans I, Njemini R, De Backer J, De Waele E, Mets T. Surgery-induced inflammation in relation to age, muscle endurance, and self-perceived fatigue. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2010 Mar;65(3):266-73. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glp145. Epub 2009 Oct 6.

    PMID: 19808837BACKGROUND
  • Carli F. Physiologic considerations of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs: implications of the stress response. Can J Anaesth. 2015 Feb;62(2):110-9. doi: 10.1007/s12630-014-0264-0. Epub 2014 Dec 12.

    PMID: 25501695BACKGROUND
  • Lemanne D, Cassileth B, Gubili J. The role of physical activity in cancer prevention, treatment, recovery, and survivorship. Oncology (Williston Park). 2013 Jun;27(6):580-5.

    PMID: 23909073BACKGROUND
  • Arends J, Bachmann P, Baracos V, Barthelemy N, Bertz H, Bozzetti F, Fearon K, Hutterer E, Isenring E, Kaasa S, Krznaric Z, Laird B, Larsson M, Laviano A, Muhlebach S, Muscaritoli M, Oldervoll L, Ravasco P, Solheim T, Strasser F, de van der Schueren M, Preiser JC. ESPEN guidelines on nutrition in cancer patients. Clin Nutr. 2017 Feb;36(1):11-48. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2016.07.015. Epub 2016 Aug 6.

    PMID: 27637832BACKGROUND
  • Shen Y, Hao Q, Zhou J, Dong B. The impact of frailty and sarcopenia on postoperative outcomes in older patients undergoing gastrectomy surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Geriatr. 2017 Aug 21;17(1):188. doi: 10.1186/s12877-017-0569-2.

    PMID: 28826406BACKGROUND
  • Jack S, West MA, Raw D, Marwood S, Ambler G, Cope TM, Shrotri M, Sturgess RP, Calverley PM, Ottensmeier CH, Grocott MP. The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on physical fitness and survival in patients undergoing oesophagogastric cancer surgery. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2014 Oct;40(10):1313-20. doi: 10.1016/j.ejso.2014.03.010. Epub 2014 Mar 27.

    PMID: 24731268BACKGROUND
  • Carlsson E, Berndtsson I, Hallen AM, Lindholm E, Persson E. Concerns and quality of life before surgery and during the recovery period in patients with rectal cancer and an ostomy. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2010 Nov-Dec;37(6):654-61. doi: 10.1097/WON.0b013e3181f90f0c.

    PMID: 21052026BACKGROUND
  • Silver JK, Baima J. Cancer prehabilitation: an opportunity to decrease treatment-related morbidity, increase cancer treatment options, and improve physical and psychological health outcomes. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2013 Aug;92(8):715-27. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0b013e31829b4afe.

    PMID: 23756434BACKGROUND
  • Wijeysundera DN, Pearse RM, Shulman MA, Abbott TEF, Torres E, Ambosta A, Croal BL, Granton JT, Thorpe KE, Grocott MPW, Farrington C, Myles PS, Cuthbertson BH; METS study investigators. Assessment of functional capacity before major non-cardiac surgery: an international, prospective cohort study. Lancet. 2018 Jun 30;391(10140):2631-2640. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31131-0.

    PMID: 30070222BACKGROUND
  • Pecorelli N, Fiore JF Jr, Gillis C, Awasthi R, Mappin-Kasirer B, Niculiseanu P, Fried GM, Carli F, Feldman LS. The six-minute walk test as a measure of postoperative recovery after colorectal resection: further examination of its measurement properties. Surg Endosc. 2016 Jun;30(6):2199-206. doi: 10.1007/s00464-015-4478-1. Epub 2015 Aug 27.

    PMID: 26310528BACKGROUND
  • ATS Committee on Proficiency Standards for Clinical Pulmonary Function Laboratories. ATS statement: guidelines for the six-minute walk test. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002 Jul 1;166(1):111-7. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.166.1.at1102. No abstract available.

    PMID: 12091180BACKGROUND
  • Boshier PR, Heneghan R, Markar SR, Baracos VE, Low DE. Assessment of body composition and sarcopenia in patients with esophageal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Dis Esophagus. 2018 Aug 1;31(8). doi: 10.1093/dote/doy047.

    PMID: 29846548BACKGROUND
  • Bauer J, Capra S, Ferguson M. Use of the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) as a nutrition assessment tool in patients with cancer. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2002 Aug;56(8):779-85. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601412.

    PMID: 12122555BACKGROUND
  • Levett DZH, Jack S, Swart M, Carlisle J, Wilson J, Snowden C, Riley M, Danjoux G, Ward SA, Older P, Grocott MPW; Perioperative Exercise Testing and Training Society (POETTS). Perioperative cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET): consensus clinical guidelines on indications, organization, conduct, and physiological interpretation. Br J Anaesth. 2018 Mar;120(3):484-500. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2017.10.020. Epub 2017 Nov 24.

    PMID: 29452805BACKGROUND
  • Zopfs D, Theurich S, Grosse Hokamp N, Knuever J, Gerecht L, Borggrefe J, Schlaak M, Pinto Dos Santos D. Single-slice CT measurements allow for accurate assessment of sarcopenia and body composition. Eur Radiol. 2020 Mar;30(3):1701-1708. doi: 10.1007/s00330-019-06526-9. Epub 2019 Nov 27.

    PMID: 31776743BACKGROUND
  • Carli F, Gillis C, Scheede-Bergdahl C. Promoting a culture of prehabilitation for the surgical cancer patient. Acta Oncol. 2017 Feb;56(2):128-133. doi: 10.1080/0284186X.2016.1266081. Epub 2017 Jan 9.

    PMID: 28067101BACKGROUND
  • Colado JC, Pedrosa FM, Juesas A, Gargallo P, Carrasco JJ, Flandez J, Chupel MU, Teixeira AM, Naclerio F. Concurrent validation of the OMNI-Resistance Exercise Scale of perceived exertion with elastic bands in the elderly. Exp Gerontol. 2018 Mar;103:11-16. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.12.009. Epub 2017 Dec 17.

    PMID: 29262307BACKGROUND
  • Babic B, Tagkalos E, Gockel I, Corvinus F, Hadzijusufovic E, Hoppe-Lotichius M, Lang H, van der Sluis PC, Grimminger PP. C-reactive Protein Levels After Esophagectomy Are Associated With Increased Surgical Trauma and Complications. Ann Thorac Surg. 2020 May;109(5):1574-1583. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2019.12.016. Epub 2020 Jan 24.

    PMID: 31987821BACKGROUND
  • Schulz SVW, Schumann U, Otto S, Kirsten J, Treff G, Janni W, Huober J, Leinert E, Steinacker JM, Bizjak DA. Two-year follow-up after a six-week high-intensity training intervention study with breast cancer patients: physiological, psychological and immunological differences. Disabil Rehabil. 2022 Aug;44(17):4813-4820. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2021.1921861. Epub 2021 May 11.

    PMID: 33974472BACKGROUND
  • Oliva FM, Turi S, Veneziano M, D'Amico F, Passuello N, Notarianni L, Fiorindi C, De Piccoli N, Ripamonti L, Fossati L, Gualtierotti M, Ghezzi M, Vecchiato M, Pontillo D, Priolo S, Marchetti C, Sandona D, Cicero P, Nicastro V, Fumagalli A, Sarzo G, Kozhan P, Pecorelli N, Pieri M, Puccetti F, Foti S, Tettamanti A, Palumbo D, Basile G, Marmiere M, Fresilli S, Labanca R, Pruna A, Pasin L, Putzu A, Garcia CSR, Donadello K, Sardo S, Bove T, Nespoli L, Baldini G, Finco G, Vignali A, Beretta L; PROGRESS Study Group. Prehabilitation in oncological patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery: rationale and design of the PROGRESS trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2026 Jan 30:108249. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2026.108249. Online ahead of print.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor ActivityNeoplasms

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Luigi Beretta, Prof

CONTACT

Turi Stefano, MD

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 24, 2024

First Posted

May 8, 2024

Study Start

May 16, 2024

Primary Completion

September 1, 2025

Study Completion

October 1, 2025

Last Updated

August 6, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations