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- Recommendations for following patients after treatment to detect recurrences may include:
- • History and physical examination every two to three months.
- • Chest x-ray every 6 to 12 months for three to five years.
- • CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis once or twice a year for one to two years if CEA or liver function tests
- are abnormal or liver becomes enlarged, then yearly as required.
- • Barium enema as required.
- • Complete blood count and serum chemistry profile every three months.
- • Measurement of the CEA level in the blood every 6 to 12 weeks for three to five years, since a rise in the level
- may occur before other clinical , x-ray or laboratory tests show recurrence. If the CEA rises above normal,
- about one-third of patients may have a recurrent tumor that can be totally removed with surgery and so may
- be cured. The CEA test may not be covered by all provincial health plans and the patient may be required to
- pay it.
- • Proctosigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy at least once a year.
- Recommendations for follow-up after the successful surgical removal of Dukes' A, B and C tumors include:
- • History and physical examination every three months for detection of tumor recurrence.
- • Complete blood count and serum chemistry profile every three to six months.
- • Colonoscopy (rather than a barium enema) every year to detect recurrent or new polyps or cancer.
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