title: Colonoscopy: an essential monitoring technique after resection of colorectal cancer.
abstract: A pilot study was undertaken to determine the usefulness of colonoscopy in the postoperative follow-up of patients with colorectal cancer. Of 56 patients, 9 (17 percent) had positive intraluminal examinations, including one recurrent cancer and three large polyps (greater than 1 cm) despite normal barium enema films. Twenty percent had negative colonoscopic findings which ruled out suspicious lesions on roentgenograms. More than one third had alterations in therapy as a result of colonoscopic examination. Colonoscopy is a useful and fruitful diagnostic aid in the follow-up of colon cancer. It should be used early in the postoperative period and added at rational intervals in long-term surveillance. It appears to complement other accepted methods of detecting recurrence.
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011859:Radiography; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery