Follow-up After Surgery for Colon Cancer. General Practice vs. Surgical-based Follow-up?

Should the Surgeon or the General Practitioner (GP) Follow up Patients After Surgery for Colon Cancer? A Randomized Controlled Trial Focusing on Quality of Life, Cost-effectiveness and Serious Clinical Events.

The purpose of this study is to clarify cost effectiveness and quality of life issues among colon cancer patients followed up in a hospital setting or by their GP's.Statement of study hypothesis:Postoperative follow up of colon cancer patients (according to national guidelines) by general practitioners will not have any influence on patients' quality of life. There will not be observed any increase in serious clinical events and cost effectiveness will be improved.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Surgery for colon cancer (including rectosigmoid) with histological grade Duke stages A, B or C.
• Completion of postsurgical chemotherapy (Dukes stage C patients).
• Informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with rectal cancer defined as cancer within 15 cm from anus.
• A poor health status or operative complications making it natural to perform follow up by specialists.
• Additional cancer diagnoses.
• Disseminated cancer.
• Poor mental status.