[Patient-oriented, risk-adapted tumor aftercare in patients with colorectal carcinoma]

Abstract

Follow-up programs in patients with colorectal cancer have been criticized concerning their efficacy. Uniform programs for all patients as practised during the last decade did neither influence survival nor did they improve the number of secondary tumor resection for cure. Therefore we developed a follow-up program that considers patient's healthiness, status of resection in primary operative therapy and the risk of tumor recurrence depending on postoperative tumor staging. Because of these considerations we divided patients into three groups: Patients with low risk, high risk and patients treated with palliative aspects. Thus costs of follow-up programs could be reduced to more than 50%.