Surveillance of patients following surgery with curative intent for colorectal cancer.
Surveillance after resection of colorectal cancer with curative intent is an important component of post-operative care. Clinical review, imaging, colonoscopy, and cost to the community are among significant issues to consider in planning a surveillance regime. This review aims to identify the available evidence for the use of surveillance and its individual components. The literature pertaining to follow-up of patients following potentially curative surgery for colorectal cancer was reviewed in order to formulate a summary of the wide range of clinical practice. There is evidence of improved survival of patients undergoing more intense follow-up compared with those having minimal surveillance, with an estimated overall 5-year gain of up to 10%. The efficacy of individual components of follow-up regimes remains unclear, but an overall package of 'intensive' follow-up including clinical review, liver imaging, and colonoscopy appears to be of benefit. It is cost-effective and can be specialist or community-based.
Gan
Steven
S
Department of Surgery, St George Hospital, Gray Street, Kogarah, NSW 2217, Australia. syogan@hotmail.com
Wilson
Katherine
K
Hollington
Paul
P
D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome