Abstract
Posttreatment follow-up is a staple of oncologic practice. Clinicians have traditionally presumed that close surveillance improves clinical outcome. However, new evidence reveals that frequent, procedure-intensive follow-up may provide no more significant benefit to patients than simpler approaches. Several recent consensus recommendations from major oncology organizations support this theory. Published surveys of clinician and institutional follow-up policies reveal significant variations in practice, with many providers continuing to use costly, unproven regimens. This review highlights current data on follow-up care for three common cancers - breast, colorectal, and prostate. These data suggest an acute need for changes leading to more rational, consistent, and efficient follow-up practices.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1493-1501 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | ONCOLOGY |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 10 |
State | Published - 2000 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research