[After-care in colorectal cancer--data and patient oriented evaluation]

The results and the costs of a routine follow-up program for patients with curatively resected colo-rectal carcinoma were evaluated in a retrospective matched pair study. Patients, who never had participated in such a program, were used as controls. In addition 58 patients were questioned prospectively regarding their opinion about the value of the follow-up program for their present and future life. Significantly more local recurrences and distant metastases were diagnosed at an average of 1.5 years earlier in the follow-up group as compared with the control group. Neither the hereby resulting higher number of curatively resected local recurrences or distal metastases nor a more aggressive oncological approach in unresectable cases resulted in a substantial improvement of survival time in the follow-up group. Considering the relatively high costs of the program, only the diagnosis of several other illnesses which one was able to treat, and the high appreciation by the patients speak in favor of the follow-up program. 86.2% of the patients believed that routine follow-up would be of essential value for their future life.