Home based prehabilitation in prostate cancer patients undergoing nerve sparing robot assisted radical prostatectomy – The TelePrehabTrial

Abstract

PURPOSE: To examine whether a 4-week prehabilitation intervention program is feasible, prior to nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. Feasibility was assessed in terms of recruitment rate, attrition rate, adherence to the intervention and adverse events. A secondary purpose was to collect preliminary data on early indicative evidence of treatment effect. METHODS: A total of 40 patients were randomized to either an intervention or control group. Patients in the control group followed standard care. The intervention group received a 4-week prehabilitation program prior to surgery. The interventions were home-based and delivered using telehealth. RESULTS: Recruitment of eligible patients was 74 %, with an attrition rate of 10 % from baseline to six months after surgery and there were no serious adverse events. Outcome capture for patient-reported and objective measures was ≥88 % from baseline to six weeks after surgery in both the intervention and control group, and 77 % at six months after surgery. Adherence to the intervention was ≥80 %. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the safety and feasibility of a home-based, telehealth prehabilitation program for patients undergoing radical prostatectomy. Furthermore, results provide preliminary evidence of improved erectile function in participants from the intervention group following surgery.