A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY OF FOLLOW-UP AFTER RADICAL SURGERY FORCOLORECTAL-CANCER

Background The possible benefit for patients from follow-up examinatio ns after curative surgery for colorectal cancer is unproven. The purpo se of this study was to determine whether survival is improved by freq uent follow-up examinations. Methods A total of 597 patients less than 76 years old treated with radical surgery for colorectal cancer were included in the study from 1983 to 1994, Patients were randomized to f requent follow-up (group 1) or virtually no follow-up (group 2) with e xaminations at 5 and 10 years. Results Group 1 comprised 290 patients, group 2 contained 307. Recurrence was equally frequent (26 per cent), but the time of diagnosis was 9 months earlier in group 1, also, meri t recurrences were asymptomatic in group 1 and more patients had new s urgery with curative intent (P = 0.02), However, no improvement in ove rall survival or in cancer-related survival resulted. Conclusion Patie nts subjected to intensive follow-up have recurrence diagnosed earlier , and have more operations fur recurrence, but the survival results su ggest that any major improvement by intensive follow-up is unlikely.