Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41087782›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of surgical oncology2026

Perioperative Expectations of Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Surgery for Cancer: A Systematic Review.

K E Kopecky, O Monton, S Koti, C Arbaugh, J Purchla, M Bodd, L Rosman, F M Johnston, J N Odom

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of surgical oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

K E KopeckyDepartment of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. kekopeck@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3346-0612
O MontonDepartment of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
S KotiDepartment of Surgery, Northwell Health NSLIJ, Manhasset, NY, USA.
C ArbaughDepartment of Surgery, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, CA, USA.
J PurchlaDepartment of Surgery, Northwell Health NSLIJ, Manhasset, NY, USA.
M BoddDepartment of Otolaryngology, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, CA, USA.
L RosmanWelch Medical Library, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
F M JohnstonDepartment of Surgery, Wake Forest Health, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
J N OdomSchool of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite the prevalence of surgical intervention in patients with gastrointestinal cancers, little is known about patients' expectations regarding physical recovery, long-term prognosis, and quality of life following surgery.

methodsThis systematic review followed the PRISMA reporting guidelines. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL) were searched. Studies were included if they reported the perioperative expectations of adult patients undergoing curative-intent GI cancer surgery. Data extracted included aims and study design, participant characteristics, disease and treatment characteristics, and findings related to patient expectations.

resultsIn total, 22 studies were included for analysis and provided data on 3605 patients. The majority of studies found that patients were uncertain about what to expect from surgery, which contributed to feelings of distress, anxiety, frustration, and isolation. Patients struggled to distinguish between normal postoperative symptoms and signs of potential complications and expressed a desire for more information about anticipated and unanticipated surgical outcomes. Expectations regarding the length of postoperative convalescence ranged from weeks to years, and most patients overestimated the ability of surgery to achieve cure. Only one study evaluated the impact of an intervention on preoperative expectation development.

conclusionsPatients undergoing surgery for resectable GI malignancies are frequently unprepared for the challenges of postoperative recovery and life after surgery. Many express a desire for more thorough and realistic information about what to expect. There is a clear need for the development and evaluation of supportive interventions.

Indexed as

Digestive System Surgical ProceduresGastrointestinal NeoplasmsQuality of LifeHumansPerioperative CarePerioperative PeriodPrognosisCancer surgeryExpectationsGastrointestinalPatient centeredSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41087782
PMCPMC12765745

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.