Best evidence summary for post-discharge follow-up of patients with colorectal cancer and an ostomy

Objective: To summarize the best available evidence on post-discharge follow-up of patients with colorectal cancer and an ostomy. Methods: Following the 6S evidence hierarchy, a systematic search was performed from July 1, 2015, to January 1, 2026, covering major academic databases, professional society websites, and clinical decision support tools. Two reviewers independently evaluated the quality of the included studies and extracted the relevant evidence, respectively. Results: A total of 15 articles were included, comprising 4 guidelines, 2 systematic reviews, 2 meta-analyses, 1 clinical decision tool, 1 expert consensus, 2 expert opinions, and 3 evidence summaries. The overall methodological quality of the included literature was high. A total of 12 best-evidence recommendations were identified and synthesized across five key domains: follow-up providers, follow-up methods, follow-up frequency, follow-up content, and complication prevention and management. Among these, the majority of recommendations were supported by Level 1 or Level 2 evidence, with 8 recommendations rated as Grade A and 4 as Grade B based on the JBI evidence pre-grading system. Conclusions: This review identified 12 evidence-based recommendations for post-discharge follow-up of patients with colorectal cancer and an ostomy. The findings suggest that health care providers should develop appropriate follow-up approaches based on evidence translation while considering individual patient characteristics, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of patient care. Systematic review registration: This study was registered in the Fudan University Centre for Evidence-based Nursing (Registration No. ES20231600).