Introduction

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Colorectal cancer is the second most common malignancy in Western societies and the second leading cause of death related to cancer.¹ At the time of initial diagnosis, about two thirds of patients undergo resection with curative intent, but 30-50% of these patients will relapse and die of their disease.² Some authors have postulated that intensive follow up would lead to early detection of recurrent disease or metachronous (second colorectal primary) tumours, or both, and thus improve survival, while others have questioned the need for follow up at all.³ This is reflected in current UK guidelines for the management of patients with colorectal cancer, which state that there is "no evidence" of survival benefit with intensive follow up⁴ or that it is "not worth while."⁵ There is currently wide variation in follow up.^6-8 Among these many different protocols, the costs to health services are considerable and need to be justified with evidence.

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials to determine whether there is any benefit of intensive follow up strategies after curative resection for colorectal cancer.

	Methods

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Search strategyWe searched Medline, Embase, CANCERLIT, and the Cochrane controlled trials register for relevant studies. We supplemented electronic searches by hand searching reference lists, reviews, and abstracts from meetings. National trial registers were also searched for unpublished trials. (Full details of search methods, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and data extraction methods are available on bmj.com)

Outcome measuresThe primary outcome was all cause mortality at five years. Secondary outcomes were total number of recurrences, any type of local recurrences, isolated local recurrences, any hepatic metastases, isolated hepatic metastases, lung metastases, intraluminal recurrences, and metachronous (second colorectal primary) cancers.

Subgroup analysisDifferent diagnostic tests were used during follow up in different trials. We performed a subgroup analysis based on the a priori hypothesis that the early detection of extramural recurrent disease (namely, local pelvic recurrences and solitary hepatic metastases), with investigations such as computed tomography or frequent measurements of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (at least every three months for two years and then every six months thereafter), or both, was more likely to be effective in improving survival related to cancer than strategies directed only at the detection of intraluminal disease (such as the use of colonoscopy).⁶

	Results

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Figure 1 shows the summary profile of the search. Five randomised controlled trials met our inclusion criteria.^9-13 We also identified six ongoing trials or trials in preparation (details on bmj.com).

View larger version (27K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 1.   Summary of systematic review profile

Study characteristics
The five included trials comprised 1342 participants: 666 assigned to intensive follow up and 676 assigned to control. Details of the baseline characteristics of the participants enrolled in these trials are available on bmj.com

The tests and the frequency of their use varied considerably (table 1). No study directly compared specific tests, but in four trials computed tomography and frequent measurements of carcinoembryonic antigen were limited to the intensive arms.^9-12 We characterised these trials as the extramural detection group. The Danish study focused heavily on the increased detection of intraluminal disease and thus formed the intramural detection group.¹³

All cause mortality
Data on all cause mortality were available in all studies. Data on mortality related to cancer were available in only two studies. ^{10 13} At five years, 197 of 666 patients (30%) allocated to intensive follow up and 247 of 676 (37%) allocated to control groups had died. By the fixed effects method, the combined risk ratio was 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.70 to 0.94, P=0.007) in favour of intensive follow up (fig 2). Similar values for risk ratios were estimated by the random effects method. There was no significant heterogeneity.

View larger version (28K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 2.   Pooled analysis with summary estimates (fixed effects method) for five year survival: data categorised into detection groups in accordance with a priori hypothesis (see methods)

The effect on mortality was most pronounced in the four extramural detection trials that used computed tomography and frequent measurements of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (combined risk ratio 0.73, 0.60 to 0.89, P=0.002). The five year mortality in the control groups ranged from 35% to 50%, which translates into an absolute reduction in mortality of 9% to 13% or a number needed to treat (the number of patients needed to prevent one death) of eight to 11. Little effect was seen in the Danish trial, which used only investigations to detect intramural disease (risk ratio 0.93, 0.73 to 1.18, P=0.88).

Recurrences, metastases, and metachronous cancers
There were no differences in rates of recurrence in all sites between the two groups: 212/666 (32%) for intensive versus 224/676 (33%) for control follow up. However, recurrences were detected 8.5 months (95% confidence interval 7.6 to 9.4 months) earlier with intensive follow up (table 2). Subgroup analysis in accordance with the a priori hypothesis revealed no distinct patterns.

The detection rates for all local recurrences and all hepatic and lung metastases were similar in the two groups. However, on the basis of data from three trials, intensive follow up was associated with a significant increase in detection of isolated local recurrences (15% v 9%: risk ratio 1.61, 1.12 to 2.32, P=0.011). Intensive follow up was also associated with a small non-significant increase in detection of hepatic metastases. Overall, rates of intraluminal recurrence and detection of metachronous cancer were low (3.2% and 1.3%, respectively), and there were no differences between follow up regimens.

	Discussion

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The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials support the view that intensive follow up after curative resection for colorectal cancer improves survival at five years.

Survival benefit
This is the strongest evidence to date to show the beneficial effects of intensive follow up. Individual trials have been inconclusive, probably because of small sample sizes. Our analysis shows that using modern follow up regimens (including computed tomography or frequent measurements of serum carcinoembryonic antigen, or both) there was an absolute reduction in mortality of 9-13%. This improvement compares favourably with, for instance, the 5% benefit observed for adjuvant chemotherapy in Dukes' stage C disease ^{4 14} and is applicable to a wider range of clinical stages of colorectal cancer.¹⁵ In addition, the trials we included predated multidisciplinary approaches to the treatment of colorectal cancer, including the wider practice of hepatic resections for metastases, pelvic exenterations for recurrent pelvic disease, and the use of combined therapies for advanced disease. These approaches influence survival,⁴ and the potential survival benefits from intensive follow up may be even greater than those expressed in this analysis.¹⁵

Quality of trials
The quality of included studies should be considered in the interpretation of our findings. None of the trials reported adequate concealment of allocation nor comprehensive blinding of outcome assessment. Only two studies stated that randomisation was stratified for major prognostic factors. Despite these shortcomings, the strength of the present analysis is that it was limited to randomised controlled trials and that it supersedes previous meta-analyses, which were based on predominantly retrospective data. ^{16 17}

Mechanisms and future trials
Intensive follow up may improve survival in people with colorectal cancer because of earlier detection and treatment of recurrent disease. It may also be associated with non-specific factors, such as improved psychological wellbeing in patients. The detection rates in this analysis for all local recurrences and hepatic metastases were similar to those quoted in the literature,^18-20 but intensive follow up was associated with a reduced time to first relapse and increased detection of isolated local recurrences. This lends support to the former hypothesis. The importance of psychological factors remains unclear for patients with colorectal cancer. The GIVIO study showed that increased psychological support influences survival in patients with breast cancer but not in those with colorectal cancer.²¹ On the other hand, increased psychological support may influence outcome in particular groups of patients with gastrointestinal cancer.²²

Many clinicians favour colonoscopic surveillance (intramural detection) over investigations aimed at the detection of extramural recurrences. ^{6 8} Our findings show that this is not justified. As seen in previous studies ^{23 24} we found that intraluminal recurrences and metachronous cancers were uncommon, irrespective of the intensity of follow up. Therefore, intensive efforts directed at the detection of intraluminal disease are probably of low benefit. We could not address the impact on outcome of intensive follow up through the detection of adenomas, known precursors of malignancy, but increasingly it is recognised that screening for adenomas is most beneficial in those aged 55-65 years.²⁵ For many patients with colorectal cancer this opportunity may have passed.

We could not evaluate the efficacy of individual investigations used in colorectal cancer surveillance. This review represents a pragmatic evaluation of two broad strategies of surveillance. Future large multicentre trials should use a factorial design to allow separation of the effects of different tests performed during follow up. Application of the principles of intensive follow up in this common cancer has potentially important financial and resource implications for health services. Although estimation of the cost per life years gained is beyond the scope of this paper, the present study should serve as a basis for economic modelling in future trials. Finally, while wide variation in follow up persists in clinical practice, we believe that clinical guidelines should be revised.