Influence of follow-up on health-related quality of life after radical surgery for colorectal cancer.
BACKGROUND
The possible benefit for patients of follow-up examinations after curative surgery for colorectal cancer is at present not proven. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of follow-up examinations on health-related quality of life and to assess the attitude of the patients to check-ups.


METHODS
A total of 350 patients who had had curative surgery for colorectal cancer and who had been subsequently randomized to either frequent follow-up or virtually no follow-up completed the Nottingham Health Profile and a second questionnaire assessing their attitude to the follow-up visits.


RESULTS
The patients who were receiving more frequent follow-up had greater confidence in the check-ups, but the improvement in the health-related quality of life was only marginally better than that of those receiving few follow-up visits.


CONCLUSIONS
The relatively small benefit for health-related quality of life does not justify expensive frequent routine examinations after surgery for colorectal cancer. The Nottingham Health Profile proved to be a reliable instrument within this patient group.
Kjeldsen
B J
BJ
Dept. of Surgery A, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
Thorsen
H
H
Whalley
D
D
Kronborg
O
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D003718:Denmark; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden