The Value of One Year Post-Operative Colonoscopy in the Surveillance of Cancer of the Colon and Rectum

Intensive follow-up of cancer of the colon and rectumincludes colonoscopy 1 year after curative resection and is the current practice in Calgary. There is much debate in the literature as to the value of this intensive follow-up,including 2 prospective randomized controlled trials showing no benefit. The purpose of this study was to assess the benefit of 1-year follow-up colonoscopy by documenting the findings at the time of the procedure. One hundred and four (104) charts were randomly selected and reviewed. All had undergone peri-operative colonoscopy, resection for curative intent and follow-up colonoscopy approximately 1 year post-op. There were 16 (15%) abnormal findings at the time of follow-up colonoscopy. In 10, the colon had notbeen “cleared” peri-operatively and the polyps identified were anticipated and removed. In 6 (6%) there were newfindings not previously documented: 3 hyperplastic polyps; 2 small ( < 0.75 cm) adenomatous polyps and 1 anastomotic recurrence of a rectal cancer. The recurrent...