Prehabilitation: An Emerging Standard in Exercise Oncology

Abstract

The benefits of exercise are well articulated across the cancer continuum from the point of diagnosis through end-of-life care. The timepoint from diagnosis until the initiation of antineoplastic treatments, historically dedicated to disease staging and medical treatment planning, is gaining recognition as an important timepoint to introduce exercise interventions. The growing evidence base suggests substantial benefit in physiological markers including pulmonary function, strength, and endurance, preparing individuals with cancer to enter treatment in a healthier state. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests prehabilitation positively impacts important disease-specific end points, such as adherence to cancer therapeutic modalities, and positively influences surgical and functional outcomes. Cost and utilization benefits are also being elucidated by this growing body of research. Evidence-based exercise interventions, typically delivered as a part of a multimodal care model, range from low to high intensity and include resistive and aerobic components. The prehabilitation time period also enables baseline functional assessment and can facilitate better engagement in proactive exercise and rehabilitative interventions throughout the duration of cancer care, improving function and quality of life for individuals going through cancer treatment.