Identifying outcomes reported in exercise interventions in oesophagogastric cancer survivors: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Research investigating exercise interventions in oesophagogastric cancer survivors is sparse, and the outcomes are varied. The aim of this systematic review is to identify the domains and outcomes reported in exercise interventions in oesophagogastric cancer survivors to be included in a Delphi study, with a view to informing the development of a core outcome set (COS). METHODS: EMBASE, PubMed, CINHAL, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and PEDro were searched up to March 2020 using a predefined search strategy. The outcomes identified during data extraction were categorised using the core areas outlined in the OMERACT Filter 2.0. RESULTS: Fourteen domains and 63 outcomes were identified. The most frequently reported outcomes were in the domains of quality of life using the EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire and the relevant disease-specific modules (100%), exercise capacity/fitness/physical function (100%), anthropometrics (83.33%), physical activity (66.67%), and biomarker analysis (50%). CONCLUSION: This systematic review quantifies and describes the domains and outcomes examined in exercise interventions in oesophagogastric cancer survivors. Some inconsistency exists within the domains and outcomes used, and little attention was given to nutritional or economic endpoints. In order to develop a COS, a Delphi consensus process with key stakeholders is needed to identify the relevant domains and outcomes for inclusion.

Application of Accelerated Rehabilitation Surgery in Gastrointestinal Surgery.

Adding timely rehabilitation surgery is an optimized perioperative measure that can reduce physical stress, reduce surgical risks, and postoperative complications and promote the recovery of organ function. Therefore, it is of great value to study its application in gastrointestinal surgery (GS). To this end, this article applies retrospective analysis and statistical methods to conduct targeted investigations and studies on GS patients. The results of the survey showed that 26.7% of patients were effective in ARS and 40% were effective in treatment. Compared with traditional treatment methods, its effective treatment rate is 13.4% higher.

Rehabilitation strategies following oesophagogastric and Hepatopancreaticobiliary cancer (ReStOre II): a protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Curative treatment for upper gastrointestinal (UGI) and hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) cancers, involves complex surgical resection often in combination with neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemo/chemoradiotherapy. With advancing survival rates, there is an emergent cohort of UGI and HPB cancer survivors with physical and nutritional deficits, resultant from both the cancer and its treatments. Therefore, rehabilitation to counteract these impairments is required to maximise health related quality of life (HRQOL) in survivorship. The initial feasibility of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for UGI survivors was established in the Rehabilitation Strategies following Oesophago-gastric Cancer (ReStOre) feasibility study and pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). ReStOre II will now further investigate the efficacy of that programme as it applies to a wider cohort of UGI and HPB cancer survivors, namely survivors of cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, and liver. METHODS: The ReStOre II RCT will compare a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme of supervised and self-managed exercise, dietary counselling, and education to standard survivorship care in a cohort of UGI and HPB cancer survivors who are > 3-months post-oesophagectomy/ gastrectomy/ pancreaticoduodenectomy, or major liver resection. One hundred twenty participants (60 per study arm) will be recruited to establish a mean increase in the primary outcome (cardiorespiratory fitness) of 3.5 ml/min/kg with 90% power, 5% significance allowing for 20% drop out. Study outcomes of physical function, body composition, nutritional status, HRQOL, and fatigue will be measured at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and 3-months follow-up (T2). At 1-year follow-up (T3), HRQOL alone will be measured. The impact of ReStOre II on well-being will be examined qualitatively with focus groups/interviews (T1, T2). Bio-samples will be collected from T0-T2 to establish a national UGI and HPB cancer survivorship biobank. The cost effectiveness of ReStOre II will also be analysed. DISCUSSION: This RCT will investigate the efficacy of a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for survivors of UGI and HPB cancer compared to standard survivorship care. If effective, ReStOre II will provide an exemplar model of rehabilitation for UGI and HPB cancer survivors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number: NCT03958019, date registered: 21/05/2019.

Efficacy of health coaching and a web-based program on physical activity, weight, and distress management among cancer survivors: A multi-centered randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of health coaching and a web-based program on survivor physical activity (PA), weight, and distress management among stomach, colon, lung and breast cancer patients. METHODS: This randomised, controlled, 1-year trial conducted in five hospitals recruited cancer survivors within 2 months of completing primary cancer treatment who had not met ≥1 of these behavioural goals: (i) conducting moderate PA for at least 150 minutes/week or strenuous exercise for over 75 minutes per week or, in the case of lung cancer patients, low or moderate intensity exercise for over 12.5 MET per week, (ii) maintaining normal weight, and (iii) attaining a score >72 in the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the control group, a web-only group, or a health coaching + web group. The primary endpoint was based on a composite of PA, weight, and PTGI score at 12 months. RESULTS: Patients in the health coaching + web group (difference = 6.6%, P = .010) and the web-only group (difference = 5.9%, P = .031) had greater overall improvements across the three-outcome composite than the control group. The health coaching + web group had greater overall improvement in PTGI (difference = 12.6%; P < .001) than the control group, but not in PA and weight. CONCLUSION: The web-based program, with or without health coaching, may improve health behaviours including PA, weight, and distress management among cancer survivors within 2 months of completing primary cancer treatment. The web-based program with health coaching was mainly effective for reducing psychological distress.

Guía de práctica clínica cáncer gástrico / Gastric cancer clinical practice guide

Generar recomendaciones basadas en la mejor evidencia disponible acerca del manejo de personas con diagnóstico cáncer gástrico de 15 años y más.

Perioperative prehabilitation and rehabilitation in esophagogastric malignancies: a systematic review.

Cancers of the esophagus and stomach are challenging to treat. With the advent of neoadjuvant therapies, patients frequently have a preoperative window with potential to optimize their status before major resectional surgery. It is unclear as to whether a prehabilitation or optimization program can affect surgical outcomes. This systematic review appraises the current evidence for prehabilitation and rehabilitation in esophagogastric malignancy. A literature search was performed according to PRISMA guidelines using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Studies including patients undergoing esophagectomy or gastrectomy were included. Studies reporting on at least one of aerobic capacity, muscle strength, quality of life, morbidity, and mortality were included. Twelve studies were identified for inclusion, comprising a total of 937 patients. There was significant heterogeneity between studies, with a variety of interventions, timelines, and outcome measures reported. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) consistently showed improvements in functional status preoperatively, with three studies showing improvements in respiratory complications with IMT. Postoperative rehabilitation was associated with improved clinical outcomes. There may be a role for prehabilitation among patients undergoing major resectional surgery in esophagogastric malignancy. A large randomized controlled trial is warranted to investigate this further.

[Analysis of the effects of different nutritional support methods on postoperative recovery in patients with gastric cancer].

Objective: To assess the effects of different nutritional support methods on postoperative recovery in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: 98 patients who received radical gastrectomy were divided into three groups: parenteral nutrition group (PN group) (n=36), early enteral nutrition group (EEN group) (n=33) and early oral feeding group (EON group) (n=29). Tolerance of enteral nutrition, postoperative recovery and economic indicators were compared. Results: The number of laparoscopic-assisted surgeries was 18, 17 and 25 in PN group, EEN group and EON group, respectively. There was no significant difference in sex, age and body mass index(BMI) among the three groups. Gastrointestinal function recovered slowly in 3 cases, including 2 cases in EEN group and 1 case in EON group. 1 case in EON group had abdominal hemorrhage. Median postoperative hospital stay in PN, EEN and EON group was 11.0, 11.0 and 8.0 days respectively, and significant reduction can be found in EON group(P<0.001). The complication rates were 30.5% (11 cases), 12.1% (4 cases), and 13.8% (4 cases), respectively, with no statistically significant difference(P=0.102). The median nutritional support costs for PN group, EEN group, and EON group were 4 543.3, 974.2, and 265.0 yuan, respectively. The median albumin consumption was 90.0, 40.0, and 0 g, respectively. The EON groups were significantly lower (P<0.001). The results of the laparoscopic assisted subgroup and the ones of whole group were consistent. Conclusion: Compared with parenteral nutrition and early enteral nutrition, early oral feeding can reduce the amount of albumin consumption, decrease the cost of nutrition support and shorten the average hospital stay after surgey without increasing the incidence of complications.

Wearable-Based Mobile Health App in Gastric Cancer Patients for Postoperative Physical Activity Monitoring: Focus Group Study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical cancer patients often have deteriorated physical activity (PA), which in turn, contributes to poor outcomes and early recurrence of cancer. Mobile health (mHealth) platforms are progressively used for monitoring clinical conditions in medical subjects. Despite prevalent enthusiasm for the use of mHealth, limited studies have applied these platforms to surgical patients who are in much need of care because of acutely significant loss of physical function during the postoperative period. OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine the feasibility and clinical value of using 1 wearable device connected with the mHealth platform to record PA among patients with gastric cancer (GC) who had undergone gastrectomy. METHODS: We enrolled surgical GC patients during their inpatient stay and trained them to use the app and wearable device, enabling them to automatically monitor their walking steps. The patients continued to transmit data until postoperative day 28. The primary aim of this study was to validate the feasibility of this system, which was defined as the proportion of participants using each element of the system (wearing the device and uploading step counts) for at least 70% of the 28-day study. "Definitely feasible," "possibly feasible," and "not feasible" were defined as ≥70%, 50%-69%, and <50% of participants meeting the criteria, respectively. Moreover, the secondary aim was to evaluate the clinical value of measuring walking steps by examining whether they were associated with early discharge (length of hospital stay <9 days). RESULTS: We enrolled 43 GC inpatients for the analysis. The weekly submission rate at the first, second, third, and fourth week was 100%, 93%, 91%, and 86%, respectively. The overall daily submission rate was 95.5% (1150 days, with 43 subjects submitting data for 28 days). These data showed that this system met the definition of "definitely feasible." Of the 54 missed transmission days, 6 occurred in week 2, 12 occurred in week 3, and 36 occurred in week 4. The primary reason for not sending data was that patients or caregivers forgot to charge the wearable devices (>90%). Furthermore, we used a multivariable-adjusted model to predict early discharge, which demonstrated that every 1000-step increment of walking on postoperative day 5 was associated with early discharge (odds ratio 2.72, 95% CI 1.17-6.32; P=.02). CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating the use of mobile phone apps with wearable devices to record PA in patients of postoperative GC was feasible in patients undergoing gastrectomy in this study. With the support of the mHealth platform, this app offers seamless tracing of patients' recovery with a little extra burden and turns subjective PA into an objective, measurable parameter.

Effect of Exercise and Nutrition Prehabilitation on Functional Capacity in Esophagogastric Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Preserving functional capacity is a key element in the care continuum for patients with esophagogastric cancer. Prehabilitation, a preoperative conditioning intervention aiming to optimize physical status, has not been tested in upper gastrointestinal surgery to date. Objective: To investigate whether prehabilitation is effective in improving functional status in patients undergoing esophagogastric cancer resection. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized clinical trial (available-case analysis based on completed assessments) was conducted at McGill University Health Centre (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) comparing prehabilitation with a control group. Intervention consisted of preoperative exercise and nutrition optimization. Participants were adults awaiting elective esophagogastric resection for cancer. The study dates were February 13, 2013, to February 10, 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change in functional capacity, measured with absolute change in 6-minute walk distance (6MWD). Preoperative (end of the prehabilitation period) and postoperative (from 4 to 8 weeks after surgery) data were compared between groups. Results: Sixty-eight patients were randomized, and 51 were included in the primary analysis. The control group were a mean (SD) age, 68.0 (11.6) years and 20 (80%) men. Patients in the prehabilitation group were a mean (SD) age, 67.3 (7.4) years and 18 (69%) men. Compared with the control group, the prehabilitation group had improved functional capacity both before surgery (mean [SD] 6MWD change, 36.9 [51.4] vs -22.8 [52.5] m; P < .001) and after surgery (mean [SD] 6MWD change, 15.4 [65.6] vs -81.8 [87.0] m; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: Prehabilitation improves perioperative functional capacity in esophagogastric surgery. Keeping patients from physical and nutritional status decline could have a significant effect on the cancer care continuum. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01666158.

Physical decline and its implications in the management of oesophageal and gastric cancer: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The management of oesophageal and gastric cancer can cause significant physical decline, impacting on completion rates and outcomes. This systematic review aimed to (i) determine the impact of chemotherapy, chemoradiotherapy and surgery on physical function; (ii) identify associations between physical function and post-operative outcomes; and (iii) examine the effects of rehabilitation on physical function. METHODS: We included randomised controlled trials (RCT), non-RCTs of interventions and cohort studies that measured physical function by objective means in patients with oesophageal or gastric cancer. EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, PEDro and the WHO Trial Registry were searched up to June 2016. Risk of bias assessment was performed using a suite of validated tools. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies involving 1897 participants were included. A meta-analysis was not indicated due to the heterogeneity of the literature. Significant reductions in physical function occur in patients undergoing neoadjuvant treatment and in the first 3 months post-resection. Lower pre-operative exercise capacity is associated with an increased risk of post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs). Evidence to support exercise prehabilitation and rehabilitation in these treatment pathways is currently lacking. CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy, chemoradiation and surgery lead to reduced physical function in patients with oesophageal and gastric cancer. High quality evidence is lacking to prove the benefit of interventions that improve physical function through the treatment pathway and in recovery, and well-designed studies are required. This review was limited due to the heterogeneity of the literature, high risk of bias in some articles and the lack of high quality research encompassing sufficient time points in the patient journey. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Curative treatment for oesophago-gastric cancer can negatively impact on physical function. Rehabilitation programmes have considerable potential to enhance physical function across the oesophago-gastric cancer journey.

Patient experiences of a physiotherapy-led multidisciplinary rehabilitative intervention after successful treatment for oesophago-gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: To qualitatively explore the perceived impact of a 12-week rehabilitative intervention for oesophago-gastric cancer survivors on their physical, mental and social wellbeing. METHODS: Of the 21 participants who completed the intervention, 19 took part in a semi-structured focus group interview. Four audio-taped focus groups were held, ranging in size from two to eight participants. Focus groups were transcribed and analysed using a descriptive qualitative approach. RESULTS: At recruitment, participants were 23.5 ± 15.2 months post-surgery and all had suboptimal fitness levels. Participants reported improvements in their physical capacity and ability to carry out activities of daily living during the intervention. These improvements led to increased confidence and social connectivity. Other participants were a valuable source of information and reassurance, while support from family members was variable. Future interventions should educate participants on how to maintain gains achieved during the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Participating in an exercise-based multidisciplinary rehabilitative intervention reduces isolation and helps oesophago-gastric cancer survivors to safely negotiate their physical, emotional and social needs as they move further down the path of recovery.

[Application of general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia/analgesia in rehabilitation after gastric cancer resection].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of general anesthesia with epidural anesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia in terms of pain relief and post-operative functional recovery. Methods: Ninety-six patients were randomly assigned to general anesthesia and intravenous analgesia group (GI) or general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and epidural analgesia group (GE). Demographic and operative data, postoperative VAS pain scores, gastrointestinal function, postoperative hospital stays, general complications were assessed prospectively. Results: (1) The postoperative VAS scores of patients in the group GE at 2, 24, 48, and 72 hours were significantly lower than those in the group GI. (2) Compared with the group GI, the patients in group GE had earlier postoperative flatus and a shorter postoperative hospital stay (8.4 ± 2.5 vs 10.0 ± 3.2, P=0.012 8). Conclusion: General anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia could provide better pain relief, enhance early rehabilitation and reduce the duration of hospital.

Minimally Invasive Surgical Approaches to Gastric Resection.

Minimally invasive gastric resections carry several advantages, including less intraoperative blood loss, faster recovery time, reduced pain, and decreased hospital length of stay and quicker return to work. Numerous trials have proved that laparoscopic and robotic-assisted gastrectomy provides equivalent surgical and oncologic outcomes to open approaches. As with any minimally invasive approach, advanced minimally invasive training and good judgment by a surgeon are paramount in selecting patients in whom a minimally invasive approach is feasible. With increasing research in patient populations with more advanced disease, the indications are likely to continue to expand.

Unemployment risk 2 years and 4 years following gastric cancer diagnosis: a population-based study.

PURPOSE: The needs of gastric cancer survivors have received limited attention. Returning to work after gastric cancer has not yet been described in a population-based study. We aimed to examine the unemployment risk at 2 and 4 years after gastric cancer. METHODS: The present historical prospective cohort study included baseline measurements from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics 1995 National Census, with follow-up until 2011. A group with gastric cancer and an age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched control group were sampled from the census population. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to assess odds ratios (ORs) for the study outcomes, controlling for socioeconomic factors, and employment status at 2 years before diagnosis. RESULTS: Data for 152 gastric cancer cases and 464 matched controls were analyzed. Those who died during the study period were excluded. Two years after diagnosis, 53.3 % of gastric cancer survivors and 43.8 % of controls were unemployed (p = 0.04); 4 years after diagnosis, 53.9 % of survivors, and 47.2 % of controls were unemployed (p = 0.15). In the adjusted models, gastric cancer was only associated with unemployment 2 years after diagnosis (OR = 1.47, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-2.12). This association weakened and lost significance 4 years after diagnosis (OR = 1.42, 95 % CI = 0.89-2.28). Gastric cancer was not associated with decreased income at 2 (OR = 1.48, 95 % CI = 0.91-1.48) or 4 years (OR = 1.65, 95 % CI = 0.99-2.74) after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric cancer survivorship was associated with unemployment 2 years after diagnosis. Longer-term survivors may have the prospect of returning to work. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: For patients with cancer, returning to work may be an indicator for returning to a normal lifestyle after serious illness. This study highlights the need for early social support in gastric cancer survivors to promote faster recovery.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for a gastric fibrolipoma

No disponible

[Rehabilitation of patients with acid-base and fluid balance disorders with short bowel syndrome after ileostomies]. / Rehabilitation von Patienten mit Störungen des Säure-Basen- und Flüssigkeitshaushaltes mit Kurzdarmsyndrom bei Ileostoma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ileostomies regularly suffer from short bowel syndrome or high volume output associated with loss of absorptive surface and subsequent impairment of absorption for drugs and different nutrients resulting in electrolyte and fluid balance disorders as well as renal insufficiency. Adaptation of these fundamental functions of the gut with adequate fluid uptake, absorption of sufficient different nutrients and vitamins represents a major challenge to rehabilitate these patients shortly after surgery. Patients with ileostomy often develop metabolic acidosis with normal anion gap. In our retrospective study we would like to draw attention to these metabolic disorders in patients with ileostomy in comparison to patients with colostomy and patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer. METHODS: In the period from 2005 to 2012 we examined 164 patients with ileostomy in our rehabilitation clinic, 109 patients with colostomy and 193 patients after surgery for gastric cancer of the possible presence of metabolic acidosis by using capillary blood gas analysis (metabolic acidosis was anticipated, if base excess was ≤- 3,0 mmol/l). Patients are treated as inpatients both in early stage and for follow-up rehabilitation. The length of time in our rehabilitation clinic lies in between 24-28 days. On the basis of random samples we tested blood samples in 19 patients with ileostomy in succession for ferritin, folic acid, zinc, selenium and vitamin B12. Statistical analysis comprised the classical intervals (mean and standard deviation, range and T-test for dependent and independent samples). RESULTS: In total we tested 164 inpatients with ileostomy in our rehabilitation clinic (median age 67.4 years, range 19-79 years). Surgery for ileostomy took place about 1.4 months on average ago (range »-56 months). 60 (36.5%) inpatients suffered from metabolic acidosis often combined with renal insufficiency. Supportive therapy intravenously administered in 10 patients and sodium bicarbonate given by mouth in 40 patients significantly improved metabolic acid (base excess improved on average from -7.2 to -3.2 mmol/l, p<0.00138) and renal function calculated on the basis of serum creatinine (serum creatinine decreased from 1.49 on average to 1.34 mg/dl, p<0.04039). Body weight remained constant over the whole period on average with 74 kg. Diuretics did not show any influence on the base excess. In 19 patients with ileostomy who did not take any kind of supplements, among the parameters tested were a high percentage of zinc (9 of 19 patients, 47%) and selenium deficiency (13 of 19 patients, 68%). 50 patients with ileostomy were younger than 65 years of age and thus in the working age population. In the group of patients after gastrectomy because of gastric cancer (n=193, median age 69.1 years, range 36-82 years), surgery for gastrectomy took place about 1.8 months on average ago and in this group only 14 patients (7%) showed metabolic acidosis. In the group of patients with colostomy (n=109, median age 69.5 years, range 39-82 years), surgery for colostomy took place about 2.1 months on average ago and in this group only 6 patients (5.5%) suffered from metabolic acidosis. CONCLUSION: Medical rehabilitation is indicated for patients with enterostoma. Acceptance of the enterostoma by the patient himself, psychological stabilization, achievement of self-sufficiency in stoma care, improvement of physical abilities and finally being fit for full or limited employment are the most important objectives in rehabilitation medicine. Metabolic acidosis was often found in patients with ileostomy and was an important clinical appearance. Blood gas analysis is recommended to verify metabolic acidosis and if confirmed sodium bicarbonate and in cases of high volume output salt-depleting ileostomy additionally intravenous fluid support should be offered controlling body weight in the follow-up. As could be shown by our analysis patients with ileostomy should also be tested for zinc and selenium deficiency.

Visceral fat changes after distal gastrectomy according to type of reconstruction procedure for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Noncancerous causes of death, such as cerebrovascular or cardiac disease, are not rare in patients with gastric cancer who had undergone curative gastrectomy. Metabolic syndrome, characterized by visceral fat accumulation, is a risk factor for cerebrovascular and cardiac diseases. However, there is limited information on the effects of reconstruction procedures on changes in visceral fat after distal gastrectomy. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the reconstruction procedure (Roux-en-Y reconstruction (RY) and Billroth I reconstruction (BI)) on changes in visceral fat, as determined using computed tomography. METHODS: The study subjects were 152 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy between 2002 and 2007. The visceral fat area was measured for one cross-sectional computed tomogram obtained at the level of the umbilicus. RESULTS: Adjuvant chemotherapy (yes vs. no, P = 0.0006), type of reconstruction (BI vs. RY, P = 0.0146), field of lymph node dissection (

Long-term experiences after oesophagectomy/gastrectomy for cancer--a focus group study.

BACKGROUND: After surgery for oesophageal or gastric cancer, patients suffer from a variety of problems that affect their physical and mental health. Most previous studies on quality of life after this type of surgery are based on quantitative methods, and no studies to date have focused on the patient's subjective experiences of their quality of life from a long-term perspective. OBJECTIVE: To illuminate patients' experiences of their quality of life, and how they handle their new life situation, from a long-term perspective, after oesophagectomy or gastrectomy for cancer. METHOD: This study was carried out in accordance with a descriptive explorative design focusing on the patients' quality of life after surgery for oesophageal/gastric cancer. Data collection was carried out using semi-structured focus group interviews. A total of 17 participants divided into 4 focus groups were included (2-5 years after elective surgery) in the study. Data was analysed with qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The results show that the patients' lives are severely hampered by adverse symptoms long time after surgery. The patients experienced the recovery period as a struggle and the theme "When moving on becomes a struggle" was shown to capture the patients' experiences. The main problems that acts as barriers in the patients' new life situation are those connected with nutrition and diarrhea who was shown not only affecting the patients from a physical perspective but also on a social and emotional level. The feeling of losing control of life was shown as a prominent problem and resulted in anxiety and fear about the future. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the patients' quality of life is heavily influenced by the remaining symptoms for a long time after surgery. However the patients ability to handle their new life situation does not only depend on the remaining symptom but on their ability to take control of the new life situation and learn to live life with the symptoms instead of letting the symptoms limit their life. The complex new life situation that the patients meet after surgery motivates the needs of a supportive care programme, focusing on the patients' physical, mental and social needs.

Laparoscopic gastric surgery in an enhanced recovery programme.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy is associated with less pain and organ dysfunction than open surgery. Improved perioperative care (enhanced recovery programmes, fast-track methodology) has also led to reduced morbidity and a shorter hospital stay. The effects of a combination of laparoscopic resection and accelerated recovery have not been examined previously in the context of gastric surgery. METHODS: This was a prospective study of 32 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric resection combined with an enhanced recovery protocol (early oral intake, no drains or nasogastric tubes, no epidural analgesia, use of a urinary catheter for less than 24 h and planned discharge 72 h after surgery). Outcomes included length of hospital stay, intraoperative and postoperative complications, readmission rate and 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Operative procedures were elective distal or subtotal gastrectomy (22 patients) and total gastrectomy (10). Median length of hospital stay was 4 (range 2-30) days. There were two major complications: postoperative bleeding requiring reoperation and pulmonary embolism. Two patients required readmission, one for a wound abscess and one for treatment of a urinary tract infection. There were no deaths within 30 days. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive gastrectomy with enhanced postoperative recovery results in a short hospital stay and low morbidity rate.

A rehabilitation program for patients with gastroesophageal cancer--a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Gastroesophageal carcinoma has a 5-year survival rate of 20%. Esophagogastrectomy is a significant life-altering operation which interferes with a patient's ability to eat food as a normal social interaction. Dumping syndrome, delayed gastric emptying, and reflux are encountered after surgery. In addition, loss of appetite and body weight occurs. Fatigue is universally encountered. We conducted this study to evaluate whether a structured cancer nutrition and rehabilitation program has an effect on the symptoms and quality of life of patients with gastroesophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients with histologically documented gastroesophageal carcinoma were evaluated before and after an 8-week multidisciplinary program consisting of physicians, oncology nurse, dietitian, physical and occupational therapists, social worker, and psychologist. Twenty-two patients completed all the following questionnaires pre- and post-program: The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), and the Distress Thermometer. RESULT: There were 42 male and 11 female patients. The median age was 63 years (22-80 years). Thirty patients had gastric cancer and 23 had esophageal cancer. On the ESAS, appetite, strength, shortness of breath, and constipation all improved (p = 0.01). The PG-SGA score decreased significantly (p = 0.05). Fatigue and general activity as measured on the BFI improved significantly. The 6-min walk increased from 384 to 435 m (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The Cancer Nutrition and Rehabilitation program offers a multidimensional, holistic treatment approach emphasizing the patient as an individual. Participation in a cancer rehabilitation program ameliorates symptoms, improves nutrition, decreases global distress, and increases physical activities.