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Colorectal CancerNCT02299596

Physical Activity in Relation to Surgical Procedures

A study testing Physical activity in people with Colorectal Cancer and Surgery, run by Sahlgrenska University Hospital at 2 sites in Sweden.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study will compare the outcome after surgery between a group of patients that receives instructions for prehabilitation training and one group that received standard treatment. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any age
Conditions the study is for
Colorectal Cancer, Surgery
What is being tested?
Physical activity
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
761 participants
Where
2 sitesSweden
Study dates
Jan 2015to 31 Dec 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Any age
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Diagnosed colorectal cancer and a planned surgical procedure

Who cannot join

  • HIPEC surgery, not able to give informed consent or understand the intervention

Trial locations and contacts

2 sites in 1 country.

Sweden2 sites

  • Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Östra

    Gothenburg, 416 85

  • Dept. of Surgery, Skaraborgs Sjukhus

    Skövde

Other trials in Sweden

About this study

Official title: Physsurg - a Controlled Randomized Trial on the Effect of Physical Activity in Relation to Outcome After Surgery

This study will compare the outcome after surgery between a group of patients that receives instructions for prehabilitation training and one group that received standard treatment.

Read the detailed description

The aim of this study is to investigate whether a training program with intensified physical activity prior to and after a surgical procedure reduces the surgical-related postoperative recovery time, hospital stay, sick leave and complication rate.

A secondary aim is to investigate the effect of a training program with pre- and post- operative PA on the rate of resumption of QoL and normal physical function.

Being tested
Physical activity
Keywords
Colorectal neoplasm, Physical activity
Medical subject headings
Colorectal Neoplasms, Motor Activity

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Physical activityOther

    The intervention will take place both pre- and postoperatively. During the hospital stay both groups will be treated in the same manner.

Study groups in NCT02299596
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Pre and postoperative exerciseExperimentalThe intervention is prehabilitation preoperatively and physical training postoperatively. During the hospital stay both groups will be treated in the same manner. Preoperative intervention: One half hour of exercise daily added to the existing daily exercise routine. The level of exercise should produce shortness of breath but the patient should be able to talk without much effort. Inspiratory muscle training. Thirty breaths x two twice daily. Postoperative intervention is mainly the same as preoperatively.
Receives: Other: Physical activity
ControlNo interventionStandard treatment with one exception, patients will fill in a physical activity diary

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Recovery measured as physical recovery measured in questionnaire

    Measured: 4-6 weeks

Secondary outcomes (15)

  1. Psychological recovery measured in a questionnaire, patient reported

    Recovery

    Measured: 4-6 weeks and 1 year post-operatively

  2. Recovery measured as time back to work

    Recovery

    Measured: 1 year

  3. Complications according to Clavien-Dindo

    Postoperative complications

    Measured: within 90 days

  4. QoL measured using SF-36

    QoL according to SF-36

    Measured: 4-6 weeks and 1 year

  5. QoL measured using EQ-5D

    QoL according to EQ-5D

    Measured: 4-6 weeks and 1 year

  6. QoL measured using a specifically developed instrument for this study

    Health related QoL

    Measured: 4-6 weeks and 1 year

  7. Mortality

    Long term mortality

    Measured: 3 and 5 years

  8. Re-admissions

    Hospital re-admissions

    Measured: 1 year

  9. Reoperations

    Reoperations

    Measured: 1 year

  10. Total time of hospital stay

    Length of stay

    Measured: 1 year

  11. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3

    Lab values

    Measured: 4 weeks postopeartively

  12. Postoperative pain measured with Brief Pain Inventory-Short form

    Pain measured by BPI-S

    Measured: 4 weeks

  13. Postoperative pain measured with Brief Pain Inventory-Short form

    Pain measured by BPI-S

    Measured: 12 months

  14. Health economic analysis

    Health economic analysis modified according to results of primary outcome

    Measured: 4 weeks

  15. Health economic analysis

    Health economic analysis modified according to results of primary outcome

    Measured: 12 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted24 Nov 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startJan 2015
  3. Primary completion31 May 2020
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2025

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
761 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02299596
Sponsor's protocol ID
Physsurg C - the RCT
Status last verified
Apr 2026
First submitted
17 Nov 2014
Last updated
27 Apr 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Publications

  • Ehrencrona C, Li Y, Afshari K, Angenete E, Buratti S, Larsson C, Onerup A, Wedin A, Haglind E. Effect of exercise on memory function and daily activities after colorectal cancer surgery: an exploratory secondary analysis from the randomised trial PHYSSURG-C. BMJ Open. 2026 Sep 23;16(9):e120096. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2026-120096.

    PubMed 42778242

  • Afshari K, Onerup A, Li Y, Angenete E, Ehrencrona C, Wedin A, Haglind E. Effects of Prehabilitation by Physical Activity on Fatigue After Surgery for Colorectal Cancer. Results From Secondary Analyses in the Randomized Controlled Trial PHYSSURG-C. Cancer Med. 2026 Aug;15(8):e72142. doi: 10.1002/cam4.72142.

    PubMed 42568293

  • Onerup A, Li Y, Afshari K, Angenete E, de la Croix H, Ehrencrona C, Wedin A, Haglind E. Long-term results of a short-term home-based pre- and postoperative exercise intervention on physical recovery after colorectal cancer surgery (PHYSSURG-C): a randomized clinical trial. Colorectal Dis. 2024 Mar;26(3):545-553. doi: 10.1111/codi.16860. Epub 2024 Jan 15.

    PubMed 38225857

  • Molenaar CJ, van Rooijen SJ, Fokkenrood HJ, Roumen RM, Janssen L, Slooter GD. Prehabilitation versus no prehabilitation to improve functional capacity, reduce postoperative complications and improve quality of life in colorectal cancer surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 May 10;5(5):CD013259. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013259.pub3.

    PubMed 37162250

  • Molenaar CJ, van Rooijen SJ, Fokkenrood HJ, Roumen RM, Janssen L, Slooter GD. Prehabilitation versus no prehabilitation to improve functional capacity, reduce postoperative complications and improve quality of life in colorectal cancer surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 May 19;5(5):CD013259. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013259.pub2.

    PubMed 35588252

  • Onerup A, Thorn SE, Angenete E, Bock D, Gryback Gillheimer E, Haglind E, Nilsson H. Effects of a home-based exercise program on the insulin-like growth factor axis in patients operated for colorectal cancer in Sweden: Results from the randomised controlled trial PHYSSURG-C. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2020 Apr;51:27-33. doi: 10.1016/j.ghir.2020.01.005. Epub 2020 Jan 28.

    PubMed 32007834

  • Onerup A, Angenete E, Bock D, Borjesson M, Fagevik Olsen M, Gryback Gillheimer E, Skullman S, Thorn SE, Haglind E, Nilsson H. The effect of pre- and post-operative physical activity on recovery after colorectal cancer surgery (PHYSSURG-C): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2017 May 8;18(1):212. doi: 10.1186/s13063-017-1949-9.

    PubMed 28482864

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Physical activity in people with Colorectal Cancer and Surgery, run by Sahlgrenska University Hospital at 2 sites in Sweden.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 2 sites in Sweden. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Recovery measured as physical recovery measured in questionnaire (time frame: 4-6 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02299596, which also lists 7 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 Apr 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 29 Oct 2026.

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