Follow-up Care
Follow-up
and Surveillance of the Lung Cancer Patient Following Curative-Intent
Therapy (CHEST)
Abstract of the evidence-based lung cancer treatment guideline published
by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) in the supplement to
the January 2003 issue of CHEST. Notes that two distinctly different issues
should be taken into account regarding patient care following curative-intent
therapy for lung cancer: adequate follow-up to manage complications related
to the therapy; and surveillance to detect recurrences of the primary
lung cancer and/or development of a new primary lung cancer. Follow-up
for complications should be performed by the specialist responsible for
the curative-intent therapy and should last 3 to 6 months. Recurrences
of the original lung cancer will be more likely during the first 2 years
after curative-intent therapy, but there will be an increased lifelong
risk of approximately 1 to 2% per year of developing a metachronous, or
new primary, lung cancer. A standard surveillance program for these patients
is recommended based on periodic visits, with chest-imaging studies and
counseling on symptom recognition. Whether subgroups of patients with
a higher risk of developing a metachronous lung cancer should have a more
intensive surveillance program is presently unclear. The surveillance
program should be coordinated by a multidisciplinary tumor board and overseen
by the physician who diagnosed and initiated therapy for the original
lung cancer. Smoking cessation is recommended for all patients following
curative-intent therapy for lung cancer. Additional recommendations and
assessments are included. Aimed at physicians. [1/03]
Questions and
Answers About Follow-up Care (NCI/Cancer Facts)
Discusses follow-up care and why it is important. Suggests questions
patients should ask their doctors about follow-up care. Addresses issues
involved in follow-up care, such as dealing with emotions and keeping
medical records. [8/02]
Relevance
of an Intensive Postoperative Follow-up After Surgery for NSCLC
(Annals of Thoracic Surgery)
by Virginia Westeel, MD, et al.
70 Ann Thorac Surg (2000)
Abstract of a prospective study that found an intensive follow-up program
is feasible and may improve survival by detecting recurrences after surgery
for NSCLC at an asymptomatic stage. [2000]
Scan
and Test Anxiety (CancerGuide)
Steve Dunn, a kidney cancer survivor, offers advice for dealing
with the inevitable anxiety that comes follow-up scans. [8/02]
Second
Primary Lung Cancer - Recent MEDLINE Abstracts
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