Table 1.
Follow-up schedule in the Deferral of Surgery trial
| Timeline from end of CRT | DRE | CEA | Scans | Endoscopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–8 weeks | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | |
| 8–12 weeks | ✓ | ✓ | MRI, FDG-PET | |
| 16 weeks | ✓ | ✓ | MRI, FDG-PET | |
| 6 months | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 9 months | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 12 months (1 year) | ✓ | ✓ | CT, MRI, FDG-PET | Colonoscopy |
| 15 months | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 18 months | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 21 months | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 24 months (2 years) | ✓ | ✓ | CT, MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 30 months | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 36 months (3 years) | ✓ | ✓ | CT, MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 42 months | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 48 months (4 years) | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 54 months | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 60 months (5 years) | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | Colonoscopy |
| 72 months (6 years) | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 84 months (7 years) | ✓ | ✓ | MRI | Flexi-sigmoidoscopy |
| 96 months (8 years) | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 108 months (9 years) | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 120 months (10 years) | ✓ | ✓ | Colonoscopy |
CRT chemoradiation treatment, DRE digital rectal examination, CEA carcinoembryonic antigen