Complete radiotherapy response in rectal cancer: A review of the evidence.

Complete response to chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer is becoming a common clinical entity. Techniques to diagnose complete response and how to survey these patients without operative intervention are still unclear. We review the most recent evidence. Barriers to firm conclusions regarding this are heterogeneity of diagnostic definitions, differing surveillance protocols, and a lack of randomised studies.

Improving colorectal cancer follow-up: the dedicated single-visit colorectal cancer follow-up clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of the dedicated single-visit colorectal cancer follow-up clinic in improving postoperative surveillance. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data of follow-up of 137 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer treated by the senior author over a 3 year period were obtained. Surveillance over three periods in time were analysed: (i) before the establishment of a protocol; (ii) following the implementation of a protocol for follow-up of colorectal cancer with liver ultrasound and colonoscopy; and (iii) following the establishment of the dedicated single-visit colorectal cancer follow-up clinic. RESULTS: The single-visit colorectal cancer follow-up clinic has reduced the mean time to the interventions (from 12.1 months to 6.0 months for the liver ultrasound and from 8.7 months to 6.4 months for the colonoscopy). In addition, the percentage of patients having their liver ultrasound within the targeted time has increased from 14% to 55%. The percentage of patients having their colonoscopy within the targeted time has also increased from 50% to 77%. The percentage who missed their liver ultrasound has been reduced from 57% to 0%. The percentage of patients who missed their colonoscopy has also been reduced from 36% to 3%. CONCLUSION: The dedicated single-visit colorectal cancer follow-up clinic improves the postoperative surveillance of patients with colorectal cancer.