Onkológia 3/2015

Follow-up after treatment in patients with malignant disease

Even in early stage, malignancies are diseases of whole organism. Follow- up after treatment in patients with malignant disease represents practical application of tertiary prevention. The aim of follow-up is early detection of cancer recurrence and secondary malignancies, management of late toxicity of oncological treatment and subsequent therapeutic intervention. Improvement in survival rates and patient’s quality of life are the outcomes of properly performed follow- up. Considering the importance of follow-up exams, specialists in medical or radiation oncology or other specialists (e.g. gynecologic oncologist or uro-oncologist) should be responsible for these. Patient’s history and physical examination are basic diagnostic procedures used in follow-up. Tumor markers have proven their importance in follow-up of several malignancies. X-ray, ultrasonography, mammography, CT and magnetic resonance imaging belong to diagnostic imaging used in follow-up of certain types of tumors. Discharge of patients from follow- up is not established in international guidelines and usually follows the local practice.

Keywords: oncology, prevention, follow-up, tumor markers, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, diffuse large B- cell lymphoma, Hodgkin´s lymphoma, testicular cancer.