-
Development of a pre- and re-habilitation protocol for gastrointestinal cancer surgery
-
Eun Young Kim, Jung Hoon Bae, Jiseon Kim, Eun Joo Yang, Sang-Jae Park, In Kyu Lee, on behalf of the Task Force Team for Development and Trial Application of Pre/Rehabilitation Protocol in GI Cancer Surgery
-
Received February 25, 2025 Accepted March 20, 2025 Published online March 28, 2025
-
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15747/ACNM.25.0001
-
-
 Abstract
 ePub
- Purpose
Surgical resection is the primary curative treatment for gastrointestinal (GI) cancer; however, it is associated with high postoperative complication rates and impaired recovery. Frailty, malnutrition, and sarcopenia increase morbidity and mortality, underscoring the need for perioperative rehabilitation programs. Standardized rehabilitation protocols during the perioperative period are currently lacking in Korea. We aimed to develop an evidence-based rehabilitation protocol for GI cancer patients to enhance postoperative outcomes and facilitate clinical implementation.
Methods
A multidisciplinary task force team comprising experts in surgery, clinical nutrition, and rehabilitation medicine conducted a systematic literature search and comprehensive review from 2012 to 2022 to develop a standardized pre- and re-habilitation protocol for GI cancer surgery. The protocol underwent external validation and subsequent refinements before being finalized through expert consensus.
Results
The protocol development process was organized into four consecutive phases: keyword selection, literature review and case report form development, initial protocol drafting, and external validation leading to the final version of the protocol. The final version of the rehabilitation protocol is presented in the main text and included as Supplements.
Conclusion
This protocol provides a standardized clinical guideline based on the latest evidence-based pre- and re-habilitation strategies and is designed for seamless integration into routine clinical practice. By facilitating proactive rehabilitation interventions, it aims to improve outcomes in GI cancer patients who are at high risk of postoperative complications, functional decline, and malnutrition.
|
KSPEN
KSSMN
ASSMN
