Exploring facilitators and barriers to the implementation of prehabilitation for individuals with pancreatic cancer: a survey of healthcare professionals

Wrench, E, McGladrigan, E, Lauder, RM, Dunne, D, Shelton, C, Lambert, J, Machin, LL, Subar, DA, Bampouras, TM ORCID: 0000-0002-8991-4655 and Gaffney, CJ (2026) Exploring facilitators and barriers to the implementation of prehabilitation for individuals with pancreatic cancer: a survey of healthcare professionals. Supportive Care in Cancer, 34 (9). ISSN 0941-4355

Preview

Text Exploring facilitators and barriers to the implementation of prehabilitation for individuals with pancreatic cancer.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

People with pancreatic cancer experience poor survival, low quality of life and limited treatment options compared to those with other cancers; interventions that can improve outcomes and quality of life are urgently required. Pancreatic Cancer UK recently released ‘optimal care guidelines’ for pancreatic cancer, which recommends that all patients, no matter the treatment route, should be offered prehabilitation (typically exercise, nutrition and psychosocial intervention) at the point of diagnosis. We investigated the facilitators and barriers to implementing prehabilitation for individuals with pancreatic cancer, from the perspective of healthcare professionals. A mixed methods cross-sectional survey on the facilitators and barriers to implementing prehabilitation and engaging individuals with pancreatic cancer in prehabilitation was designed and circulated to healthcare professionals (n = 138). Responses were analysed using a thematic approach. Key factors highlighted by healthcare professionals that could support the implementation of a prehabilitation intervention included multidisciplinary team cohesion and collaboration and dedicated prehabilitation champions, resources and National Health Service trust engagement, accessibility and avoiding exacerbating health inequalities, community support, and clinical guidelines. Key factors that could overcome barriers to the participation of individuals with pancreatic cancer included educational support, clear aims and information, understanding of the disease-related burden and individualised programmes. Considering each of these factors in the design and delivery of services could inform future research and the implementation of prehabilitation for individuals with pancreatic cancer.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Pancreatic cancer; Prehabilitation; Optimal care pathway; Humans; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Cross-Sectional Studies; Attitude of Health Personnel; Quality of Life; Health Personnel; Patient Care Team; Female; Male; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Surveys and Questionnaires; United Kingdom; Optimal care pathway; Pancreatic cancer; Prehabilitation; Humans; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Cross-Sectional Studies; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Surveys and Questionnaires; United Kingdom; Patient Care Team; Quality of Life; Health Personnel; Female; Attitude of Health Personnel; Male; 4203 Health Services and Systems; 4205 Nursing; 42 Health Sciences; Dissemination and Implementation Research; Prevention; Digestive Diseases; Pancreatic Cancer; Health Services; Cancer; Clinical Research; Rare Diseases; 7.1 Individual care needs; 8.1 Organisation and delivery of services; 7.3 Management and decision making; Cancer; 3 Good Health and Well Being; Humans; Pancreatic Neoplasms; Cross-Sectional Studies; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Surveys and Questionnaires; United Kingdom; Patient Care Team; Quality of Life; Health Personnel; Female; Attitude of Health Personnel; Male; 11 Medical and Health Sciences; 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences; Oncology & Carcinogenesis; 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences; 42 Health sciences; 52 Psychology
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology (including Cancer) R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Publisher:	Springer
Date of acceptance:	7 August 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	6 October 2026
Date Deposited:	06 Oct 2026 14:34
Last Modified:	06 Oct 2026 14:34
DOI or ID number:	10.1007/s00520-026-11097-9
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29620

View Item