Surgical Oncology

What is surgical oncology?

The area of cancer care known as “surgical oncology” is dedicated to using surgery to detect, stage, and treat cancer as well as to treat some of its associated symptoms.

A patient’s eligibility for cancer surgery is based on various characteristics, including the tumor’s kind, size, location, grade, and stage. A patient’s age, level of physical fitness, and any coexisting medical disorders are among the other general health characteristics that are considered.

Surgical oncologists collaborate with a multi-specialty group of medical professionals to integrate surgery with additional treatments and procedures that are necessary for the patient’s overall care plan.

Surgical oncologists spend time getting to know each patient, answering any questions, or addressing concerns while going over the diagnosis and available treatments. To foresee and control surgical side effects, surgical oncologists collaborate with other team members such as dietitians, rehabilitation therapists, and naturopathic physicians.

What is the goal of surgical oncology?

For a variety of reasons, a person with cancer or suspected cancer may need surgery. Using surgical oncology can help with:

Diagnose cancer.
Excision of a tumor or a section of the cancer (debulking or curative surgery).
Find out where the cancer is, if it has spread, and whether it is interfering with the function of other organs (staging surgery).
Remove any potentially malignant bodily tissue (preventive surgery).
Encourage other forms of therapy, like implanting an infusion port (supportive surgery).