Core Functions of Surgical Oncology
1. Diagnosis and Staging
Surgery provides means to find out and to understand the type of cancer.
Biopsy Methods
A biopsy is done by taking few tissues from a part or the total tissue of a suspicious lump. The subsequent result clarify whether the growth is benign, malignant, or pre-cancerous.
Accurate Staging
Surgeons evaluate tumor size, infiltration, and metastatic spread during an operation. The precise staging is the basis of most effective treatment plans, the effect of which on patients’ recovery is very significant.
2. Tumor Removal (Curative Surgery)
In many cases of cancer, removing the tumor is the main way to achieve a cure. Surgical oncologists aim to cut out not only the whole tumor but also a small part of the healthy tissue to lessen the risk of cancer coming back. If cancers are caught at an early stage and have not spread, surgery alone might be enough to get rid of the disease.
3. Debulking Surgery
In situations where tumors are so large or located in such a place that they cannot be removed completely, the debulking method is used. The reduction of the cancerous tissue volume causes:
- the cancer drugs to be more effective;
- radiation treatment can be more accurately directed;
- the symptoms resulting from the tumor pressing on organs may be alleviated.
Debulking becomes quite effective, for example, in ovarian cancer, where the reduction of tumor mass makes the cancer cells much more sensitive to the systemic treatments.
4. Palliative Surgery
Palliative procedures are used to enhance a patient’s quality of life in advanced stages, where a cure may not be possible. These operations aim to:
- Ease pain
- Control bleeding
- Decrease blockage (e.g., bowel or airway blockage)
- Raise day-to-day comfort
While these measures are not curative, they play a crucial role in the overall well-being of the patient.
5. Reconstructive Surgery
Once the large tumors or cancer-affected parts of the body have been removed, reconstructive surgery is used to regain the lost function and beauty. Some of the examples are:
- The reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy
- The restructuring of the facial bones
- The restoration of the movement after the removal of a bone tumor