Follow-up Testing after Colorectal Cancer Surgery Improves Recurrence Detection

Follow-up Testing after Colorectal Cancer Surgery Improves Recurrence Detection

As one of the nation’s leading cancer surgeons, Anton Bilchik MD always follows his patients closely after surgery. A new study reinforces the importance of follow-up after surgery for colorectal cancer and suggests specific screening tests to improve a doctor’s ability to detect recurrence.

Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths when considering men and women separately, and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for both sexes combined. Early detection, advanced treatments such as the surgery provided by Dr Anton Bilchik, and vigilant follow-up care lasting at least five years has resulted in a drop in the death rate associated with colorectal cancer over the past 20 years.

In this new study published in a January 2014 issue of JAMA magazine, scientists wanted to explore the effectiveness of two tests, CEA and CT, to detect the return of cancer after surgery. CEA is a blood test that looks for evidence of tumors, and CT, or computed tomography, makes detailed images of the body.

The researchers randomly assigned 1,202 patients from 39 different hospitals around England into one of four groups. Participants in the first group received CEA tests only, while those in the second group underwent CT only. The third group had both tests, and the fourth group had neither test — just minimal follow-up.

Doctors detected cancer recurrence in 199 participants during the five-year follow-up. The researchers found that the rate for surgical treatment for recurrence was higher in the three groups undergoing CEA and CT testing, as compared to the group with minimal follow-up.

Consistent follow-up helps you detect the recurrence of your cancer better, increasing the likelihood that you will take effective action to cure it. Contact Anton Bilchik MD to learn more about post-operative follow-up for your colorectal cancer.