Inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria and study summary
Every year over 15,800 people are diagnosed with gullet (oesophageal) or stomach cancer and over 12,300 deaths are reported from both cancers in the UK. Currently, most gullet or stomach cancer patients are treated with surgery with or without additional chemo- or radio-therapy. Recently, there have been improvements in survival from these cancers, due to better therapies. However, around two-thirds of patients treated with surgery, the cancer will return within three years and they will ultimately die from this. There is little evidence as to how gullet and stomach cancer patients should be followed up after surgery and whether different methods of follow-up could improve survival. Currently, national and international guidelines do not provide consistency in their recommendations for follow-up after surgery. The SARONG study will investigate if earlier detection of cancer through more intensive surveillance results in improved survival and better quality of life for patients with gullet and stomach cancer. Participants who agree to take part will be allocated by chance to either more intensive surveillance or the current standard of care. The trial aims to recruit at least 952 participants in the UK from at least 24 NHS hospitals. Patients undergoing surgery for gullet and stomach cancer will be approached prior to hospital discharge and invited to participate in the trial around 4 to 8 weeks after their cancer treatment. (i) The intensive surveillance group will receive a clinic review, and a radiological scan, at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after randomisation and a camera test (endoscopy) at 12 months after randomisation. (ii) The standard care group will receive a clinic review at 6 and 12 months post-randomisation. After this they will be either discharged to their local doctor or receive a review in clinic with a member of the surgical team every year.
