Cancer is one of the leading causes of death and fatalities in the world, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thus, signs of this illness should be taken seriously. For example, among women, as simple as touching and feeling the areas around the breast every after menstruation will help you detect some signs of breast cancer.
Today, the battle against various types of cancer diseases has been less tough compared to before. Several procedures now make it easier and more effective to treat this deadly illness. Moreover, patients can now also gain access to the best doctors and clinics from across the globe just by logging in to online platforms and tools such as Doctor.Global. Let’s take a closer look at one of the treatments for cancer: surgery.
Defining Oncological Surgery Treatment
Oncological surgery is a field of cancer care that utilizes surgery to diagnose, stage, and treat the disease. It also manages some symptoms related to cancer.
Aside from oncological surgery, there are different other kinds of cancer treatments, from chemotherapy to stem cell therapy. Therefore, doctors determine whether a patient is a candidate for surgery, and this depends on factors such as the type, location, size, stage, and grade of the tumor. Of course, factors like the patient’s age, fitness, lifestyle, and other health conditions are also taken into account.
The Goals Of Oncological Surgery
Somebody with or suspected of having cancer may go under surgery for various reasons.
These are to:
- Diagnose the cancer
- Remove a tumor or portion of the cancer
- Find out where the cancer is located, and whether it has spread, as well as whether it has already affected the functioning of other organs
- Remove tissues that may be cancerous
- Support other treatments
- Restore the appearance or function of the patient’s body
- Relieve the side effects
You will learn more about those next.
Various Types Of Oncological Surgery Treatment
Oncological surgery treatments follow various directions, from diagnostic surgeries to palliative surgeries.
1. Diagnostic Surgery
Cancer is a debilitating illness, particularly in its further stages, so in some diagnoses themselves, surgery may already be involved.
To confirm the diagnosis, healthcare specialists take out a tiny piece of tissue and test it using a microscope. This is known as a biopsy.
2. Staging Surgery
Another direction that doctors may take in oncological surgery is staging surgery. This is recommended to detect the cancer’s extent and how far it has already spread.
During staging surgery, healthcare specialists examine the affected part and the surrounding areas, such as the nearby organs and lymph nodes.
Staging surgery will help doctors curate personalized cancer treatment plans for the patient and predict how they will respond to the treatment.
3. Curative Surgery
Curative surgery is typically suggested if medical teams find cancer in just one part of the patient’s body. This is usually the procedure done for cancer at its early stage. It sometimes goes side by side with other treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy, among others, before or after the surgical procedure to increase the likelihood of recovery.
4. Preventative Surgery
Otherwise known as prophylactic surgery, preventative surgery is ordered by doctors to remove body tissues that could become cancerous. They may also take this direction even when there are zero signs of abnormal growth from the first checkup.
But, sometimes, medical teams may suggest that an entire organ be removed if the patient has an underlying health condition or genetic factors that place them at a very high risk for developing cancer.
For instance, oncologists may recommend this procedure to women with a strong family history of breast cancer.
5. Debulking Surgery
This surgical procedure is called such as healthcare specialists treat the tumor as a bulky or oversized object situated near the patient’s vital organs or tissues. That being said, removing the entire tumor may cause severe damage to nearby tissues and organs. So, surgeons “debulk” or remove parts of the tumor so it won’t spread further.
This direction is usually taken for advanced ovarian cancers and some lymphomas. Afterward, doctors may suggest radiation, chemotherapy, and other treatments to further eliminate the cancerous cells.
6. Reconstructive Surgery
Some cancer surgeries may leave visible deformities upon the body of the patient, affecting how they live their life. In these cases, reconstructive surgery is done.
Reconstructive surgery’s goal is to enhance how the patient looks or restore an organ’s functionalities after a major cancer surgery.
7. Palliative Surgery
On the other hand, this procedure is done to relieve pain and discomfort.
For example, if a tumor in the abdomen has developed large enough to obstruct even the intestines, doctors do palliative surgery to remove this blockage. This type of surgery can also relieve pain from medications and other treatments.
8. Supportive Surgery
Lastly, supportive surgery. This direction assists patients in obtaining other forms of treatment for cancer. For instance, oncologists could recommend installing a vascular access device – a thin, flexible tube – into the patient’s large vein and connecting it to a tiny drum-like device underneath the skin. This device helps facilitate treatments and draw blood, perform blood transfusions, and give IV fluids, among others.
The Most Popular Techniques In Oncological Surgery
Depending on the type of cancer and how it has already spread, oncological surgeries can either be invasive or non-invasive. Here are some of today’s most popular approaches.
- Laparoscopy – Here, the doctor makes a few tiny incisions, then inserts a thin tube with a miniature camera attached, a laparoscope, into one of the incisions to capture an image inside while also inserting surgical tools into the other incisions to snip out malignancies.
- Laser surgery – Here, the surgeon makes use of a narrow beam of high-intensity light in order to remove the tumor.
- Cryosurgery – As its name implies, here, the doctor utilizes liquid nitrogen to freeze and kill the cancer cells.
- Robotic surgery – This approach uses the same directions as laparoscopy, but the doctor uses a robot or computer console instead of manipulating the surgical tools by hand.
- Electrosurgery – This approach makes use of electric current to kill cancer cells.
- Mohs surgery – This removes the cancer layer by layer. It is the favored approach for skin cancers.
- Natural orifice surgery – This operates on the patient’s internal organs via their natural body openings, such as their mouth, vagina, or rectum, to potentially reduce the pain.
Questions To Ask Your Surgical Oncologist
This time, let’s guide you to some questions you can ask your surgical oncologist.
- What will you do during the surgery? What are the goals of the operation?
- What’s the success rate?
- Am I healthy enough for the procedure?
- How will it affect me? Will these changes be long-term and permanent?
- Are there additional surgeries needed?
- What happens if I refuse to undergo surgery?
- What if the surgery becomes unsuccessful? What’s to be done next?
- What experience do you have to perform this surgery?
- What diet should I follow before and after the surgery?
- How can I control the pain from the surgery?
- How long will the recovery take? How long should I stay under hospital care?
- What are the probable side effects?
- When can I return to my usual activities?
- Will my health insurances cover the costs of this surgery?
- What are some signs of infection? What must I do if I spot them?
Find The Best Oncology Doctors And Clinics On Doctor.Global
The search for and the road to the best oncology doctors and clinics can be challenging, such as when you are also looking for a second opinion. But not when you have Doctor.Global with you.
Doctor.Global is an online health service capable of connecting you with the best and most qualified medical professionals, not just from where you are but from all over the world. This platform provides information on doctors and clinics in India, Germany, Israel, Turkey, Italy, Mexico, Thailand, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, China, Switzerland, Australia, the United States, and a whole lot more. All you have to do is visit the website to see the entire list of countries.
Searching via Doctor.Global is easy, fast, and reliable. You can filter by specialization, location, and procedure, among many others. For instance, just tapping “Oncology” will give you a list of over 1,000 clinics worldwide. You can also access reviews, chats, video calls, and a personal dashboard for your tests on Doctor.Global.
Done selecting a clinic abroad? Doctor.Global also provides essential information about visas, flights, and accommodation. You may even pay for your chosen clinic’s services via Doctor.Global itself! Your health woes deserve immediate attention. Visit Doctor.Global today.
