[The value of systematized follow-up studies after resection of a stomach carcinoma]

A retrospective study of the possible value of standardized follow-up examinations was undertaken in a group of 251 patients (163 men, 88 women; mean age at diagnosis 58 [33-78] years) who had undergone putatively curative gastric resection for adenocarcinoma between 1.1. 1978 and 31. 12. 1987 and had survived at least 3 months after the operation. 113 patients (45%) regularly had follow-up examinations according to a standardized diagnostic protocol, 67 (27%) only irregularly, while 71 (28%) had none. Follow-up examination revealed tumour recurrence in 53 patients (30%), which in 18 (34%) was still asymptomatic. In one of these patients resection of the recurrence was again undertaken with curative intent, a palliative operation was performed in five, chemotherapy in seven, three received radiotherapy and 37 were treated purely symptomatically. The results do not indicate that the survival rate was improved by the standardized follow-up protocol and it is concluded that symptom-oriented and individualized follow-up examination without standardized protocol is sufficient in this type of case, except for scientific purposes.