A NEW systematic review sheds light on how prehabilitation, interventions initiated before treatment, may influence long-term physical function and patient-reported outcomes in people affected by bladder cancer. The findings could help guide pre-treatment strategies for improved patient care, though more robust data are still needed to draw firm conclusions.
Bladder cancer treatment, particularly surgery, often leads to significant physical and emotional stress. In this context, researchers analyzed 14 studies involving 1,034 patients to assess how prehabilitation programs, including exercise, nutrition, education, and lifestyle counseling, compared to standard care. The review focused on outcomes reported at least 30 days post-treatment, providing a clearer view of long-term benefits.
The most promising results emerged from multimodal prehabilitation approaches, those combining exercise, education, and/or nutritional support. These interventions consistently improved physical functioning. Similarly, exercise-only programs were associated with better physical outcomes, while educational support enhanced patient-reported quality-of-life metrics.
However, nutrition-only programs did not show significant improvements, and data on clinical outcomes like hospital stays or complications remained inconclusive across all interventions. Smoking and alcohol cessation counseling stood out for achieving notable abstinence rates, which were linked to fewer postoperative complications, an encouraging signal for future preventive strategies.
One major gap identified in the review was the lack of research on patients receiving non-surgical treatments such as BCG or radiotherapy, limiting the generalizability of findings.
Despite these limitations, the review highlights the potential value of incorporating prehabilitation into bladder cancer care pathways. Exercise and educational support, in particular, may be low-risk tools to improve recovery experiences and patient satisfaction.
As bladder cancer treatment continues to evolve, refining prehabilitation strategies with stronger clinical evidence could play a crucial role in optimizing patient outcomes across the continuum of care.
Reference: Paterson C et al. Effect of Prehabilitation Interventions in People Affected by Bladder Cancer on Long-Term Physical, Clinical, and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: A Systematic Review. JCO Oncol Pract. 2025. 10:OP2400984. [Epub ahead of print].
