Multimodal digital health rehabilitation during acute survivorship following colorectal cancer surgery

This multicenter randomized trial evaluated a 6-month digital health rehabilitation program for 321 colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors during the acute survivorship after surgery. The intervention, using a mobile application and activity tracker, provided individualized exercise and nutrition guidance. The primary outcome, skeletal muscle mass (SMM), was not significantly preserved compared to usual care. However, the intervention yielded significant improvements in key secondary outcomes, including nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment) and overall quality of life (global health status), underscoring its broad clinical utility. A critical finding emerged from a subgroup analysis, where participants with high adherence to the program exhibited a significant increase in appendicular skeletal muscle index (aSMI). This highlights that the efficacy of digital interventions is contingent on patient engagement. These findings suggest that while not impacting total SMM, multimodal digital rehabilitation is a valuable tool for enhancing overall recovery, with adherence being a key determinant of its success.