The prospect of surgery to remove a cancerous growth alarms many patients. In the following lines you will find out when and why you need to be operated in case of an open tumor formation.
Oncosurgery is a common part of cancer diagnosis and treatment.
When is surgery required?
Common reasons why you may have surgery for cancer include:
Cancer prevention. In some cancers, it is possible to remove an organ before the cancer develops. In this way, surgery helps prevent cancerous growths from developing.
Diagnosis. Surgical intervention is required to obtain a biopsy for testing. The sample is tested in a laboratory to determine if it is cancerous. Other tests may look at the genetic makeup of the cells. The results help your doctors plan your treatment.
Establishment of stage. Surgery can show the size of the cancerous growth and whether the cancer has spread throughout the body. This information is used to determine the stage of the cancer. The stage of the cancer gives your doctors important information about the seriousness of your condition and whether you need aggressive treatment.
Basic treatment. For many cancers, surgery is the main treatment.
Volume reduction. Sometimes surgery cannot remove the entire tumor. The surgeon can remove as much as possible. This method is called cytoreduction, or reducing the volume of the tumor.It is done to relieve symptoms and reduce the development of advanced cancer.
Relieve symptoms or side effects. Surgery is also used to improve quality of life. For example, it can relieve pain caused by cancer that is pressing on a nerve or bone. It can be used to remove cancer that is blocking the bowel.
Surgery is often used in combination with other cancer treatments. These treatments may include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and others. Which treatment is best for you depends on the type of cancer you have, its stage, and your overall health.
How is cancer surgery usually performed?
When possible, the goal of surgery is to remove all tumor growths from the body. To do this, the surgeon uses cutting instruments to remove the cancer and some healthy tissue around it.
The surgeon may also remove lymph nodes. The lymph nodes are examined to see if they contain cancer cells. If cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, it is likely to spread to other parts of the body.
What other techniques are used in cancer surgery?
There are other types of surgery that can be used to treat cancer. Some of them are:
Cryosurgery. It is a technique for freezing and destroying pathologically altered cells. It is used in the treatment of certain cancers and precancerous conditions, as well as to remove benign growths. It uses special instruments and probes that are adapted to low temperatures, using a needle applicator to insert liquid nitrogen or argon into a specific internal organ. An intense cold reaction is induced, leading to destruction of the damaged tissue.
Electrosurgery. In this type of surgery, an electric current is used to destroy the cancer cells. Electrosurgery works by cutting or coagulating tissue. This is done by means of a high-frequency electric current that is generated by an electrosurgical unit.
Laser surgery. Laser surgery uses a targeted, high-intensity beam to shrink or completely remove cancer cells.
Operation Moose. This method is used for various forms of skin cancer. During this operation, the doctor removes areas of skin tissue that are thought to be cancerous and immediately examines them under a microscope. In this way, the doctor can continue to remove and examine skin tissue until all cancerous areas have been removed. This procedure is repeated until all cancerous growths have been removed. Mohs surgery is also used for cancer in sensitive areas of the skin, such as around the eye.
Laparoscopic surgery. This minimally invasive surgery uses several small incisions in the body. A small camera and surgical instruments are inserted through the incisions. The surgeon uses the camera and monitor to guide the instruments to remove cancerous growths. Smaller incisions mean that the recovery period is shorter.
Robotic surgery. During robotic surgery, the surgeon stands away from the operating table. The doctor looks at a screen that shows a 3D image of the area being operated on. The surgeon uses a hand control that commands the robot how to move the surgical instruments to perform the surgery. Robotic surgery helps the surgeon operate in hard-to-reach places. The recovery period after such surgery is believed to be shorter.
What can you expect before and after cancer surgery?
The way you prepare for and heal from cancer surgery depends on the surgery. In general, you can expect certain things to be the same, including:
Preparation for the operation. Doctors will run certain tests on you before surgery. These may include blood tests, a urine test, X-rays and other imaging. The results help your surgeon plan your surgery. The results may show if you have other health problems that could make surgery risky.
Anesthesia. If you are going to have an operation, you will need an anaesthetic to keep you out of pain. What type of anaesthesia you will have depends on the type of operation.
Recovery. Depending on your operation, you will stay in hospital for a period before going home. Your doctors will give you specific instructions for your recovery. They will explain to you in detail about how to treat any wounds, what foods or activities to avoid, and what medications to take. Make sure you have a good understanding of what you can and cannot do after surgery.
English 
Bulgarian 
German