title: Follow-up of colorectal cancer patients: quality of life and attitudes towards follow-up.
abstract: The aims of our study were to assess the effect of follow-up on the quality of life of colorectal cancer patients and to assess the attitudes of patients towards follow-up as a function of patient characteristics. Patients who had been treated with curative intent were selected from four types of hospitals. Eighty-two patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, whereas 130 patients received the questionnaire by mail. To assess the effect of follow-up on the quality of life, the interviewed patients were randomly allocated to three groups and interviewed at different times in relation to the follow-up visit. Analysis did not show an effect of the follow-up visit on quality of life. Patients reported a positive attitude towards follow-up: it reassured them, they judged the communication with the physician to be positive, and they experienced only slight nervous anticipation and few other disadvantages. Patients reported a strong preference for follow-up, and a large majority would prefer follow-up even if it would not lead to earlier detection of a recurrence. Apart from living situation, no patient characteristics were clearly associated with the attitude towards follow-up. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Medical Decision Making Unit, Leiden University Hospital, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stiggelbout
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Haes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vree
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: van de Velde
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bruijninckx
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Groningen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kievit
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life