Approach to cancer surgery can be Open Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery or Robotic Surgery. Aim of cancer surgery is removal of tumour with all around safe margin along with removal of draining lymph nodes.

Excision of tumour is followed by restoration of normal anatomical pathway (anastomosis in Gastrointestinal and Hepatobilliary Surgery), or it may require Oncoplastic Reconstructions (Head & Neck and Breast). Associated morbidity and mortality is taken into consideration before proceeding for surgery and well explained to patient and his or her relatives. Option of surgery as main or primary modality of treatment stands valid for solid organ tumours, but for blood born tumours like leukemia and lymphomas chemotherapy is primary modality of tumour.

Cancer surgery is feasible in early stage localised disease. In Advanced stage and metastatic disease to multiple organs, curative cancer surgery may not be feasible. Operability of a cancer mass is decided by a cancer surgeon with the help of clinical examination, radiological investigations, endoscopy and if needed laproscopic findings. Surgical planning of a tumour requires for resection of tumour mass with safe margins and lymphnodes, followed by re-establishment of anatomical pathways and reconstruction of vital structures like major vessels if needed to be sacrificed during surgery.

Spectrum of Cancer surgery ranges from small excision biopsy to major resections involving multiple organs. Risk v/s benefit and absolute need for surgical intervention should be assessed before proceeding for surgical intervention. Every surgery carries some percentage of morbidity and mortality, which needs to be discussed with patients and their care takers.

For many early stage tumours surgery can be sole and effective treatment, but for others it can be done before or after adjuvant treatment modalities like chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Cancer prevention. If you have a high risk of developing cancer in certain tissues or organs, your doctor may recommend removing those tissues or organs before cancer develops.

Diagnosis. Your doctor may use a form of cancer surgery to remove all or part of a tumor — allowing the tumor to be studied under a microscope — to determine whether the growth is cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).

Staging. Cancer surgery helps your doctor define how advanced your cancer is, called its stage. Surgery allows your doctor to evaluate the size of your tumor and determine whether it’s traveled to your lymph nodes.

Primary treatment. For many tumors, cancer surgery is the best chance for a cure, especially if the cancer is localized and hasn’t spread.

Relieving symptoms or side effects. Sometimes surgery is used to improve your quality of life rather than to treat the cancer itself.

Because appointments with cancer doctor con cancer surgery can be brief, and because there’s often a lot of ground to cover, it’s a good idea to be well-prepared.