Follow-up plans after treatment of primary colon and rectum cancer.

Although some would argue about the value of routine follow-up of patients with colon and rectal cancer, well designed programs of testing have been shown to identify treatable recurrence at its earliest detectable stage. Treatment of these recurrences appears to be associated with improved survival. Newer applications of radiolabeled antibodies that are directed to specific or nonspecific cell surface epitopes may increase the value of serologic tumor markers. Ultimately, the application of progressively more stringent cost controls in our medical care delivery systems will demand that follow-up tests be proven of value either in a curative or palliative sense to the patient with recurrent disease.