title: Recommended colorectal cancer surveillance guidelines by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the most effective, evidence-based, postoperative surveillance strategy for the detection of recurrent colon and rectal cancer. Tests are to be recommended only if they have an impact on the outcomes listed below.
  
  
  METHODS
  All tests described in the literature for postoperative monitoring were considered. In addition, the data were critically evaluated to determine the optimal frequency of monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outcomes of interest included overall and disease-free survival, quality of life, toxicity reduction, and cost-effectiveness. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Expert Panel was guided by the principle of cost minimization, ie, when two strategies were believed to be equally effective, the least expensive test was recommended.
  
  
  METHODS
  A complete MEDLINE search was performed of the past 20 years of the medical literature. Keywords included colorectal cancer, follow-up, and carcinoembryonic antigen, as well as the names of the specific tests. The search was broadened by articles from the tumor marker ASCO panel literature search, as well as from bibliographies of selected articles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Levels of evidence and guideline grades were rated by a standard process. More weight was given to studies that tested a hypothesis directly relating testing to one of the primary outcomes in a randomized design. BENEFITS/HARMS/COSTS: The possible consequences of false-positive and false-negative tests were considered in evaluating a preference for one of two tests that provide similar information. Cost alone was not a determining factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expert panel's recommended postoperative monitoring schema is discussed in this article.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five outside reviewers, the ASCO Health Services Research Committee, and the ASCO Board of Directors examined this document.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  American Society of Clinical Oncology.
authors.affiliation: American Society of Clinical Oncology. (ASCO) Colorectal Cancer Surveillance Panel, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Desch
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Loprinzi
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Minsky
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Petrelli
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Somerfield
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003363:Cost Control; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*