Retrospective analysis of preoperative application of triple-modal pre-rehabilitation on postoperative recovery of colorectal cancer patients

Abstract Purpose To retrospectively analyze the difference between triple-modal pre-rehabilitation and common treatment in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods A total of 145 patients with CRC diagnosed by pathology and admitted to our hospital for surgery between June 2020 and June 2022 were included in the study. All patients were divided into two groups: the triple-modal pre-rehabilitation group (pre-rehabilitation group) and the common treatment group. The triple-modal pre-rehabilitation strategy included exercise (3–5 times per week, with each session lasting more than 50 min), nutritional support and psychological support. The study was designed to assess the potential of the pre-rehabilitation intervention to accelerate postoperative recovery by assessing the 6-minute walk test, nutritional indicators and HADS score before and after surgery. Results The pre-rehabilitation intervention did not reduce the duration of initial postoperative recovery or the incidence of postoperative complications, but it did increase the patients' exercise capacity (as determined by the 6-minute walk test), with the pre-rehabilitation group performing significantly better than the common group (433.0 [105.0] vs. 389.0 [103.5], P < 0.001). The study also found that triple-modal pre-rehabilitation was beneficial for the early recovery of nutritional status in surgical patients and improved anxiety and depression in patients after surgery, especially in those who had not received neoadjuvant therapy. Conclusion The triple-modal pre-rehabilitation strategy is of significant importance for reducing stress and improving the functional reserve of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) during the perioperative period. The results of our study provide further support for the integration of the triple-modal pre-rehabilitation strategy into the treatment and care of CRC patients.