Improving Outcomes in Cancer Patients With a Nutritional and Physical Conditioning Prehabilitation Program

Summary

Major surgery is a stressful procedure; good recovery after surgery is important to patients and their doctors. Studies done at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) with cancer patients awaiting surgery have shown that exercise combined with simple diet recommendations (which may include a supplement) and relaxation techniques before surgery helped speed up the ability to resume walking after surgery.

These results have made the investigators aware that exercise and good nutrition are as important before surgery as they are after surgery; while it is common practice to start strengthening the body after surgery (rehabilitation), there may be some advantage to begin this process before surgery (prehabilitation).

The purpose of this study is to see if the following program, either before or after surgery, can help patients recover from liver, pancreas or bile duct surgery:

1. Exercise that may help participants move and breath better,
2. Nutrition advice and a supplement to make participants strong,
3. Relaxation and anti-anxiety tips to help cope with the stress of upcoming surgery

The investigators will see if following this program will have an effect on participants' ability to walk before and after surgery.

Conditions

• Pancreatic Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Bile Duct Cancer
• Hepatobiliary Cancer
• Surgery

Interventions

OTHER

Exercise

A kinesiologist will provide each patient wih an individualized home-based exercise program including aerobic, resistance and stretching exercises. Patients will also exercise at our clinic once per week under the supervision of the kinesiologist (prehabilitation arm only)

OTHER

Nutrition

Patients will be asked to fill in a 3-day food diary. A registered dietitian (RD) will review this diary, provide a full nutritional assessment, and ensure patients are following a high-protein diet (1.5 g of protein/kg/day). A whey-protein supplement may be provided to patients, should they require it. The RD will also ensure adequate calorie consumption for weight maintenance and will provided advice to help ease any GI issues the patients may be experiencing.

BEHAVIORAL

Relaxation techniques

Patients will see a psychologist who will provide relaxation techniques (eg. imagery, visualization, deep breathing exercises) to help patients manage anxiety prior to surgery.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dr. Franco Carli

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Antonio Vigano, MD, MSc · McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

95 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-02-22

Primary Completion

2021-12-31

Completion

2022-06-30

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations