Current follow-up strategies after potentially curative resection of upper aerodigestive tract epidermoid carcinoma results of a survey of members of the society of head and neck surgeons

The follow-up of patients after potentially curative resection of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) mucosa has important clinical'and financial implications for patients and society, yet the ideal surveillance strategy is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the current follow-up practice patterns of a large, diverse group of experts. The 824 members of The Society of Head and Neck Surgeons (SHNS) were asked, via a detailed questionnaire, how often they request 14 discrete follow-up evaluations in their patients treated for cure with TNM stage I, II, and III + (resectable) IV UADT cancer over the first five post-treatment years. The results indicate that SHNS members generally follow their patients personally after performing UADT cancer surgery rather than sending them back to their referral source. Routine office visit is the most frequently performed item for each of the 5 years. The only imaging test commonly used is chest X-ray. There is variation in the pattern of use of most tests. SHNS members from other countries tend to follow their patients more closely than do those living in the USA. Many clinicians use the same surveillance strategy for all TNM stages.