Types of Cancer Surgery
Cancer surgery is the medical procedure that focuses on the treatment of cancer. Also known as surgical oncology, it is debated whether it constitutes a medical branch since the area of expertise required is vast. Cancer can affect many parts of the human body so extensive training is required for surgeons in order to perform the different types of cancer surgery available.
Most Common Types of Cancer Surgery
Patients with cancer can go through a multitude of medical procedures. Some of them can be minor and some of them are complex operations that require skill and training. There are surgical options available throughout all of the stages, from the onset until the end.
- Preventive procedures are done in order to remove potentially malignant body tissue. Also, this procedure can be used on people who have a family predisposition to this disease.
- Diagnostic procedures are performed in order to determine whether cancer is present or not and, if so, what type it is. This is done by analysing the sample cells under a microscope.
- The staging phase is done to assess the size of malignant tissue and the degree to which it has spread. This phase has two stages: clinical and surgical.
- Curative surgery can be performed when the tumour is present in just one area and can be removed. As a treatment, it is used on its own or with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- De-bulking procedures remove part of the tumour when removing it entirely is too dangerous.
- Palliative treatments are used to treat the problems and discomforts brought on by advanced cancer.
- Supportive operations are done to help with other types of treatment.
- Restorative procedures are used to improve the function of a body part or the appearance of a patient after a major surgery.
Types of Cancer Surgery for Diagnosis
Before medical operations, samples are needed in order to determine the presence of malignant tumours. There are many ways to obtain these samples. Most of them involve using a needle to take out a small piece of tissue. They are known as biopsies. They can vary based on the place where the sample is taken from, the size of the sample and the state of the patient. The most commonly used are endoscopies which use a long, thin tube with a camera on the end to explore through the body and reveal possible tumours.
Special Techniques
Progress in technology has brought about new techniques to perform medical procedures using advanced instruments.
- Lasers can be used in operations to perform tasks. These methods are precise and less invasive and can be used to destroy tumours or to make cuts.
- Cryosurgery uses a very cold probe or liquid nitrogen spray to freeze and destroy abnormal cells, which can be applied to some forms of cancer.
- Electro-surgery uses a high-frequency electrical current to destroy malignant skin tissue.
- Mohs surgery can treat skin cancer by shaving off diseased layers one at a time.
- Types of cancer surgery procedures such as thorascopy and laparoscopy use thin tubes to create small incisions. They are usually used to collect samples, but can have additional advantages.