A comparison of the result of a three-part study with the rights of cancer patients presented in public reports, laws and regulations.

People diagnosed with cancer often state that they are left to their own resources after receiving their diagnosis and possibly receiving treatment at a hospital. In all likelihood, most of those afflicted with cancer will require follow-up care. The Norwegian Cancer Plan of 1997 proposed that more should be done for people afflicted with cancer. With these factors as the starting point, a three-part study with use of interviews and questionnaires was conducted to identify and evaluate the scope of follow-up care in one Norwegian county with 26 municipalities in a sparsely populated region. This article examines consequences of the sickness for those afflicted. Next, the article discusses who is responsible for organizing follow-up care, and the related official reports, laws and regulations. The article also discusses the results of a three-part study that sought to identify those components of follow-up care that worked effectively and those that did not, with the aim of drafting a follow-up care programme.