Review of non-invasive prehabilitation for neuro-oncology patients at Institut Guttmann in Barcelona

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medRxiv Published April 18, 2026 Medically reviewed April 25, 2026 Study authors: Brault-Boixader, N.; Roca-Ventura, A.; Delgado-Gallen, S.; Buloz-Osorio, E.; Perellon-Alfonso, R.; H… DOI ↗ By Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development

Key Takeaway

Consider personalized prehabilitation for neuro-oncology patients to optimize clinical status and promote psychological benefits, noting limited data.

This source is a primary trial review focusing on a non-invasive prehabilitation (PRH) program for neuro-oncology patients. The study was conducted at Institut Guttmann in Barcelona and included a sample size of 29 patients. The review synthesizes data on emotional well-being and related secondary outcomes, noting that quality of life showed significant improvements and emotional distress experienced reductions. These reductions were particularly observed among women within the cohort. Perceived stress levels remained stable, and control attitudes demonstrated an increase during the intervention period.

The review does not report specific effect sizes, absolute numbers, p-values, or confidence intervals for these outcomes. Safety data, including adverse events, serious adverse events, discontinuations, and tolerability, are not reported in the source. The review does not provide a specific follow-up duration or detailed comparator information. Funding or conflicts of interest are not reported, and the study phase is not reported.

The authors suggest practice relevance in implementing comprehensive and personalized PRH approaches to optimize clinical status both before and after surgery, thereby promoting sustained psychological benefits. However, because the source is a single primary trial review with a small sample size and missing statistical details, the certainty of these findings is limited. Clinicians should interpret these results with caution and await further evidence before adopting such programs broadly.

Study Details

EvidenceLevel 5

PublishedApr 2026

View Original Abstract ↓

Prehabilitation (PRH) is a preoperative process aimed at optimizing patients functional capacity to improve surgical outcomes and overall well-being. While its physical and cognitive benefits are increasingly documented, its emotional impact, particularly in neuro-oncology patients, remains less explored. This study assessed the psychological effects of a PRH program on 29 brain tumor patients. The primary outcome, emotional well-being, was measured using quality of life and emotional distress metrices. Secondary outcomes included perceived stress levels and control attitudes. Additionally, qualitative data from structured interviews provided further insights into the psychological effects of the intervention. The results indicated significant improvements in quality of life and reductions in emotional distress, particularly among women. While perceived stress levels remained stable, control attitudes showed an increase. Qualitative analysis further highlighted the positive changes in the control sense and identified additional factors, such as the importance of social support sources during the PRH process. Overall, these findings suggest that PRH interventions play a significant role in enhancing emotional well-being among neuro-oncological patients in the preoperative phase. These results underscore the importance of implementing comprehensive and personalized PRH approaches to optimize clinical status both before and after surgery, thereby promoting sustained psychological benefits in this population. This study is based on data collected at Institut Guttmann in Barcelona in the context of the Prehabilita project (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05844605; registration date: 06/05/2023).