1999 Guideline
Pertinent information from the published literature as of July 1998 was retrieved for the creation of these guidelines. Searches of MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD) and other databases for pertinent articles were performed. Search words included colon cancer, rectal cancer, follow-up, each specific test considered, cost-effectiveness, and clinical trials. Directed searches were made of the primary articles. In addition, certain authors/investigators were contacted to obtain more recent, unpublished information. Much of the literature on carcinoembryonic antigen testing examined by the ASCO Tumor Marker Guidelines Panel was also relevant. The panel did not review the evidence on carcinoembryonic antigen testing, and instead used the guideline already developed by the ASCO Expert Panel on Tumor Marker Recommendations.
2000 Update
For the 2000 update, computerized literature searches of MEDLINE and CancerLit were performed. The searches of English-language literature from 1997 to 2000 combined the terms colon neoplasms and rectal neoplasms with the term surveillance. The set of articles yielded from this initial search was combined in turn with each of the tests or procedures addressed in the original guideline (i.e., history and physical examination, liver functions test, carcinoembryonic antigen). The searches were limited to human-only studies and clinical trials.
2005 Update
Computerized literature searches of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Collaboration Library were performed. The searches of the English-language literature from 1999 to June 2005 combined the terms "colonic neoplasms," "colorectal neoplasms," and "rectal neoplasms," with the MeSH term, "follow-up studies" and the text words "surveillance" and "follow-up." The set of articles yielded from this initial search was supplemented by articles identified from searches on each of the tests or procedures addressed in the original guideline (eg, history and physical examination, liver function tests, carcinoembryonic antigen), in combination with "surveillance," "follow-up studies," and "follow-up." Supplementary searches were done to address positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The searches were limited to human-only studies and to specific study design or publication type: randomized clinical trial, meta-analysis, practice guideline, systematic overview, or systematic review. The literature review centered on randomized clinical trials, and meta-analyses of data from randomized clinical trials.