Multimodal Prehabilitation in Colorectal Cancer: Improving Fitness, Lifestyle, and Post-Surgery Outcomes

<b>Objectives</b>: This study aimed to analyze the effect of a multimodal prehabilitation program for colorectal cancer patients in body composition, physical and cardiorespiratory fitness as well as its ability to reduce postoperative complications. <b>Methods</b>: A longitudinal observational study evaluated the efficacy of a prehabilitation intervention based on four components: (a) health education and self-care, (b) nutritional counseling, (c) psychological support, and (d) supervised physical exercise. Body composition was determined through bioelectrical impedance analysis; physical fitness variables such as strength was measured by a handgrip dynamometer for upper limbs, and a squat-jump test, countermovement jump test using a contact platform, and a chair-stand test for lower limbs. Flexibility was assessed with the sit-and-reach test. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed with the 6 min walking test (6MWT). Moreover, we measured lifestyles related to the amount of physical exercise by accelerometry. <b>Results</b>: The final cohort included 30 patients. Patients completed an average of 9.90 ± 5.26 exercise sessions. Statistically significant changes with varying effect sizes were observed in the following outcomes: SJ values in cm and W for both sexes (<i>p</i> = 0.021/d = 0.14 and <i>p</i> = 0.043/d = 0.10, respectively), SJ in W for women (<i>p</i> = 0.023/d = 0.21), all chair-stand test values (<i>p</i> = 0.021/d = 0.65 for men, <i>p</i> = 0.004/d = 2.08 for women, and <i>p</i> = 0.000/d = 0.84 for both sexes), and sit-and-reach for both sexes (<i>p</i> = 0.005/d = 0.12) and for men (<i>p</i> = 0.044/d = 0.08). All 6MWT values had statistically significant changes (<i>p</i> = 0.001/0.46). Women reduced the weekly minutes spent in sedentary behavior (<i>p</i> = 0.037/d = 0.65) and increased the minutes spent performing light physical activity (<i>p</i> = 0.037/d = 0.63). With regard to surgical outcomes, there was a tendency towards a decrease in postoperative complications and hospitalization days, as well as minutes in postoperative REA (<i>p</i> = 0.009/d = 0.69) in relation to the control group. <b>Conclusions</b>: Participation in a multimodal prehabilitation program improves several aspects of physical condition and lifestyles related to the amount of physical exercise and reduces both days of hospitalization and several complications post-surgery.