Postradiotherapy surveillance practice for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma--too much for too little?

Introduction: Limited information is available regarding surveillance patterns after head and neck cancer radiotherapy. We cataloged follow-up for a specified patient cohort treated at three neighboring university, community, and Veterans Administration institutions.

Methods: One hundred fifteen patients were treated with curative intent between 1994-1998 with definitive or postoperative radiotherapy for newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, or hypopharynx.