Approach to primary care follow-up of patients with prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To review resources available to aid family physicians in their care of prostate cancer patients and develop an algorithm to summarize these findings.


METHODS
MEDLINE, EMBASE, and relevant website search. All relevant guidelines were level III evidence.


RESULTS
Improved screening and treatment of patients with prostate cancer is resulting in an increasing number of survivors. These men require ongoing monitoring, a responsibility that is largely falling to family physicians. We review the expected prostate-specific antigen (PSA) responses to different prostate cancer treatment modalities and provide an appropriate schedule of follow-up and monitoring techniques for prostate cancer patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In light of the paucity of resources for family physicians in their ongoing care of prostate cancer patients, we present an algorithm, primarily based on PSA kinetics, for practical use in the continuing care of these patients.
Wilkinson
Anna N
AN
Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre, 503 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 1C4. anwilkinson@toh.on.ca
Brundage
Michael D
MD
Siemens
Robert
R
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen