Significance of Intensive Follow up by using CT after Curative Resection for Colorectal Cancer

• Published in: Nippon Shokaki Geka Gakkai zasshi Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 289 - 294
• Main Authors: Motohashi, Hisahiko, Shiozawa, Manabu, Saeki, Hiroyuki, Akaike, Makoto, Sugimasa, Yukio, Takemiya, Shoji, Imada, Toshio, Yamada, Roppei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery 2005
• Subjects: colorectal cancer; conventional follow-up; patternintensive follow-up; recurrent; survival time after recurrence
• ISSN: 0386-9768; 1348-9372
• DOI: 10.5833/jjgs.38.289

Introduction: We evaluated the significance of surveillance for recurrence after operation with curative sur-gery intent in colorectal cancer patients. Patients and methods: Subjects were 126 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent curative resection from 1986 to 2001 at the Kanagawa Cancer Center recurred and suffered in a single organ. We divided them into 2 groups: group I (n=60) whose recurrence was detected by intensive follow-up by using CT every 4 months, and group C (n=66) whose recurrence detected by con-ventional follow-up CT once a year, we compared median survival time (MST), disease-free survival inter-val (DFI) and survival time after recurrence (SAR) retrospectively. Results: DFI was 690±63 days in group C, compared to 467±40 days in group I. SAR was 767±211 days in group C, compared to 943±89 days in group I. In lung recurrence (n=36), SAR was 925±333 days in group C, compared to 1, 296±461 days in group I. Elevation of tumor markers at recurrence was observed in 41 of 47 cases (89%) in liver recurrence. Symptoms at recurrence were observed in 12 of 14 cases (83%) in local recurrence. Conclusion: Intensive fol-low-up by using CT does not improve SAR, but in lung recurrence which is difficult to detect by tumor mark-ers or examination could improves SAR.