Move for Surgery - A Novel Preconditioning Program

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Canada. Most patients with this cancer will undergo treatment with major chest surgery that is associated with serious complications. As many as 50% of patients will suffer respiratory complications after surgery, keeping them in the hospital for extended periods of time. These long hospitalizations have a dramatic negative effect on the lives of those people, in addition to a large cost burden on our healthcare system. Traditionally, patients who suffer from complications are treated with rehabilitation AFTER the complications have occurred. But what if complications can be prevented BEFORE they happen? Having major chest surgery imposes great stress on the human body, one that is equivalent to running a marathon. Analogous to training before completing a marathon, the investigator designed Move For Surgery (MFS), a novel preconditioning program that encourages and empowers patients to improve their health prior to surgery. The investigator aims to demonstrate that patients who train with Move For Surgery will have lower respiratory complication rates, will recover better, and will leave the hospital sooner than their counterparts.