Follow-up
cancer, tumor, death
CANCER, TUMOR, RECURRENCE, TUMOR RECURRENCE
Follow-up was to be first performed one month after surgery. From then on, follow-up visits was to be every 3 months in the first 2 years. The detailed examination items included standard laboratory tests (routine blood tests, tumor biomarkers), an enhanced CT scan of the thorax, and an ultrasound of the neck and abdomen.If the patient had signs of recurrence (such as related clinical manifestations), additional tumor evaluations were to be performed during the treatment; possible reoperations and/or further cancer treatments were also to be documented. During the follow-up period without tumor recurrence, other cytotoxic agents were not allowed. Patient recurrence and survival was to be followed up until the patient’s death or the last date of the patients known survival.