Prehabilitation — Targeted Exercise Therapy and Psycho-Oncological Support Before Cancer Treatment

Solid tumors are a type of cancer characterized by malignant tissue growths that form in organs such as the breast, lung, or intestine. Depending on the type and stage of the disease, various methods are used to treat solid tumors, including surgery, radiation therapy, and drug therapies. This phase can be very stressful both physically and emotionally, as side effects such as fatigue, muscle weakness, and psychological stress may occur. For this reason, patients’ physical and emotional resilience is of great importance and can influence the success of treatment. The current standard of care includes treatment of the cancer itself; however, structured preparation for the upcoming therapy has not yet been routinely established.

The aim of this study is to investigate the added benefit of a targeted prehabilitation program during this phase. Prehabilitation means that patients are prepared for the procedure through targeted measures even before surgery or radiation therapy. The program includes supervised exercise training as well as structured psycho-oncological support aimed at alleviating anxiety and strengthening psychological resilience. Patients are divided into two groups: The control group receives regular medical care (standard treatment), while the study group additionally receives the structured prehabilitation program with exercise therapy and psycho-oncological support. Assignment is not random but sequential. The study is open-label, meaning that both the patients and the study physicians are aware of the group assignment. The primary outcome is measured using a 6-minute walk test, which assesses physical performance 14 to 28 days after surgery or radiation therapy. In addition, muscle strength, mental well-being, anxiety, depression, and quality of life are assessed over a period of up to 6 months following the procedure.

Eligible participants include women and men aged 18 to 65 with a solid tumor (including breast cancer) who are scheduled to undergo curative treatment using a combined (multimodal) therapy approach, along with surgery or radiation therapy. Patients must be physically fit enough to participate and have sufficient language skills to understand questionnaires and exercise instructions. Patients with severe heart or lung disease are not eligible to participate.