Peri-Operative Exercise and Nutrition Optimisation (PANO) Trial in Peritoneal Malignancy: Physical Activity and Nutrition Enhancement

Alex Neuroth

Alex Neuroth received the Breakthrough Cancer Summer Scholarship, enabling him to conduct research under the supervision of Dr. Lorraine Boran at Dublin City University during the summer.

Peritoneal Malignancy (PM) includes a rare group of cancers such as cancers of the ovaries, pancreas, colon, rectum, or appendix, that spread to the lining of the abdominal cavity. They often require a complex procedure where all visible tumours are removed with added heated chemotherapy to remove any remaining cancer. This is called cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS-HIPEC). CRS-HIPEC can take an extreme toll on the person and can be associated with complications and poor outcomes.

Low physical fitness and poor nutrition are risk factors for complications during or after cancer surgery. The PANO Trial is funded by the Irish Research Council Coalesce Scheme and is supported by Breakthrough Cancer Research to look at the effects of exercise and nutrition programmes before and after CRS-HIPEC surgery.

The student project will be embedded within the PANO Trial and will be to explore the physical activity and nutrition data to help the trial investigate how these factors may impact patients. This project will help to determine if physical activity levels and nutritional status in the preparation for and recovery from CRS-HIPEC surgery can be impacted by supportive prehabilitation programmes and if that changes important patient outcomes.