[Follow-up in oncology: focused on the patient and the disease]

Follow-up in oncology primarily encompasses medical technical examinations of patients following treatment for cancer. The term "aftercare" more accurately represents which approach should be taken after completion of cancer treatment: not only medical technical care, but fulfilment of care needs that result from the disease and its treatment. For each patient an individual aftercare plan should be put in place, which fulfils the 3 goals of aftercare: psycho-social and medical care, early diagnosis of recurrent disease or new primary disease activity if such early diagnosis bears clinical relevance, and medical audit. Involving patients in this decision-making process is generally limited in daily practice. The way in which the individual patient's aftercare is carried out, is still a scientific challenge. It is clear, however, that nothing about this is "standard".