<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><xml><records><record><source-app name="HighWire" version="7.x">Drupal-HighWire</source-app><ref-type name="Journal Article">17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ZÄTTERSTRÖM, ULF</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">BOYSEN, MORTEN</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">EVENSEN, JAN FOLKVARD</style></author></authors><secondary-authors></secondary-authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Significance of Self-reported Symptoms as Part of Follow-up Routines in Patients Treated for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Anticancer Research</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014-11-01 00:00:00</style></date></pub-dates></dates><pages><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">6593-6599</style></pages><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">34</style></volume><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">11</style></issue><abstract><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Background: There is little evidence to prove that frequent out-patient consultations lead to better prognosis in patients treated for oral squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, there is no consensus regarding the timing and number of follow-up consultations or the duration of monitoring after completed therapy. Materials and Methods: We prospectively recorded demographic and clinical data of 537 patients treated over a period of 15 years with complete follow-up of 18 years in a tertiary academic Center. Results: Out of 537 patients considered free of disease after treatment, 196 (36%) developed recurrent disease during follow-up. Self-reported symptoms led to diagnosis of the recurrence in 78% of the cases. Only 22% of recurrences were detected through physical examination of asymptomatic patients. There was no difference in disease-free survival in-between these two groups. Conclusion: Follow-up routines are indispensable as part of cancer treatment but can be more cost-efficient when patients are educated and encouraged to report subjective symptoms. Trained personnel in collaboration with head and neck specialists can handle parts of follow-up routines.</style></abstract></record></records></xml>