[Surveillance after curative surgery for colorectal and breast cancer]

Surveillance programs have been recommended for colorectal and breast cancer patients in several countries, and appropriate surveillance guidelines have been issued by various societies. The Swiss Society of Gastroenterology consensus paper recommends a surveillance program for patients after curative resection of colorectal cancer (CRC), and the respective guidelines are updated regularly. Early detection of recurrent disease from CRC allows treatment with intention to cure. Five year survival rates after treatment for recurrent CRC can reach up to 50 % or more. Therefore tumor surveillance in CRC is important, and there is compelling evidence that patients benefit from intensive surveillance. In addition to clinical controls, measurements of carcinoembryonal antigen, colonoscopies and thoraco-abdominal CT scans should be performed on a regular basis. For surveillance of breast cancer (BC) patients, a regular schedule is recommended as well. However, this surveillance program is more focussing on the detection of possible loco-regional tumor relapse, as curative therapy of BC metastases is much less frequently possible than in CRC patients. Irrespective of the underlying tumor entity, surveillance is an important and challenging process that should be coordinated by one single physician. It is crucial that all involved physicians are aware of their responsibility and that they are informed about the respective surveillance program and its benefit to the patient.