| Abstract: |
As cancer prevalence increases globally, an even larger number of cancer patients will need anesthesia services for perioperative and periprocedural care. Surgery remains a mainstay strategy for reducing tumor burden, particularly for solid tumors. To optimize surgical care and enhance oncologic outcomes, multidisciplinary programs should be implemented in the entire perioperative care continuum to minimize symptom burden, enhance functional recovery, and minimize preventable postoperative complications. These coordinated multidisciplinary care pathways and principles of care aimed to enhance functional recovery of the surgical patient are the enhanced surgical recovery programs (ESRPs). While earlier recovery to baseline function without major postoperative complications is important for any surgical patient population, this is particularly relevant for patients with cancer, as frequently adjuvant therapies are part of the cancer care plan for many diseases. Frequently, common causes for delayed adjuvant therapies are postoperative complications, postoperative fatigue, and poor general physical condition (a general measure of recovery after major surgery). One of the major goals for surgical patients with cancer should, therefore, be faster recovery after surgery so that they can get back to their intended oncologic therapy. Thus, every enhanced recovery protocol implemented for cancer patients should take into account the stage of the disease, overall prognosis, and appropriateness of care for maintaining quality of life and ability to withstand the treatment plan, risks associated with therapies, and patient’s wishes. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
