Follow-up care for cancer: making the benefits equal the cost

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.