Back to 2025 Abstracts
Feasibility of and Adherence to a Pilot Prehabilitation Program For Bladder Cancer Patients undergoing Radical Cystectomy
Nnamdi Onochie, Jr., B.S.
1, Rebekah Wilson, PhD
2, Amber Normann, MS
2, Amanda J. Reich, PhD, MPH
1, Catherine J. Quinn, PA-C
1, Timothy N. Clinton, MD
1, Mark A. Preston, MD, MPH
1, Graeme S. Steele, MD
1, Adam S. Kibel, MD
1, Christina M. Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH
2,
Matthew Mossanen, MD, MPH1.
1Brigham and Women's hospital, Boston, MA, USA,
2Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
BACKGROUND:Bladder cancer patients experience complications and readmissions after Cystectomy. Prehabilitation aims to improve patient preparation for surgery through a multimodal approach that includes exercise, recovery education, and nutritional supplementation. We present our preliminary results on feasibility, adherence, and clinical outcomes for patients undergoing Cystectomy.
METHODS:We conducted a single-arm pilot study which included up to 4-weeks of supervised exercise sessions via Zoom 4-times per week. This consisted of body weight or resistance band training. Nutritional supplements (Ensure shakes) and a Zoom education class about recovery were also provided. We assessed feasibility (if over 75% of patients completed the program) and adherence (number of sessions attended out of total sessions possible from time of baseline visit to surgery).
RESULTS:24 patients completed the intervention and underwent cystectomy, indicating feasibility. One patient had a pathology review completed and didn’t undergo cystectomy. Patients attended 85% of exercise sessions, indicating satisfactory program adherence. All participants used Zoom to complete the exercise sessions. Intervention duration varied from 2 to 4 weeks.Patients were predominantly male (75%), and the mean age was 69 years. Following surgery, mean hospital length of stay was 5.8±1.4 days. Complications occurred in 6 patients (25%), with 1 major (death to myocardial infarction) and 5 minor complications (dehydration, infection, abdominal fluid collection, C. difficile infection, and sepsis). 5 patients (21%) experienced a readmission with average readmission length of stay being 4 days. Exercise attendance wasn’t significantly associated with length of stay (p>0.05). Limitations included a small sample size, single institutional experience, variability in the length of program duration, and lack of an association with length of stay.
CONCLUSIONS:Prehabilitation before cystectomy via Zoom is feasible, and patients were adherent to the program. Length of stay may be reduced in patients participating in Prehabilitation. Additional work is needed to determine impact of Prehabilitation on clinical outcomes.
Back to 2025 Abstracts
