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Protein for the Pre-Surgical Cancer Patient: a Narrative Review

  • PREHABILITATION (B RIEDEL and S JACK, SECTION EDITORS)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Prehabilitation prepares patients to withstand the rigors of surgery; however, there is little consensus on nutritional prehabilitative support for surgical patients. In this narrative review, we offer our perspectives on the role of protein in surgical prehabilitation.

Recent Findings

While the exact dietary protein requirements of pre-surgical patients are unknown, protein is an important piece of any nutritional care plan. Body protein, in particular skeletal muscle, is catabolized to support surgery-related systemic responses such as inflammation and wound healing. Older adults and patients with cancer, who may be sarcopenic, undernourished, or cachectic, often experience perturbations in protein metabolism that deplete skeletal muscle tissue prior to surgery. Reduced body protein combined with surgery-induced stress can result in a concomitant loss of physiologic function.

Summary

Multi-modal prehabilitation that includes nutrition and exercise can augment patients’ body protein reserve before surgery and mitigate losses post-surgery to improve functional outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, 1650 Cedar Ave, Montreal, QC, H3G 1A4, Canada

    Chelsia Gillis

  2. Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Stuart M. Phillips

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Correspondence to Chelsia Gillis.

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SMP reports grants from Dairy Farmers of Canada, grants from Alliance for Potato Research and Education, other from Enhanced Recovery, outside the submitted work; in addition, Dr. Phillips has a patent multi-ingredient supplement issued to Exerkine (unrelated to this work). CG has no competing interest to report.

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Gillis, C., Phillips, S.M. Protein for the Pre-Surgical Cancer Patient: a Narrative Review. Curr Anesthesiol Rep 12, 138–147 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40140-021-00494-x

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