Cancer Surgery
Cancer can be treated in a number of ways and these include the use of chemicals (chemotherapy), radiation therapy (where the cancer is bombarded with x-rays or other forms of radiation), and surgery. In the majority of cases these therapies may be used in combination, especially if the cancer has spread in the body, a condition known as metastasis. Which therapy is preferred will depend on the nature of the cancer and whether it is localized or has spread to other regions of the body. Cancer surgery involves an operation to remove the cancerous growth and, depending on the type of cancer, the operation can range from a minimally invasive technique to an extensive one.
Surgical Management of Cancer
The various cancer therapies all have their advantages and disadvantages. Chemotherapy is usually accompanied by unbearable side effects. Radiation therapy, besides the fact that it might itself predispose one to certain forms of cancer, has the potential to damage healthy cells. Surgery is in the majority of cases the first line of defence in the fight against cancer and nearly all cancer patients will at some point have surgery.
Besides treatment, surgery is often used for another purpose. Before the therapist has enough information about the patient’s cancer they may need to perform a surgical procedure to properly diagnose the cancer, and in other cases the doctor may perform surgery to determine the stage of the disease. Should the doctor find that surgery alone will not entirely remove the cancer, or that doing so may severely harm an organ, they may remove as much of the growth as is possible and prepare the stage for chemotherapy or radiation, a technique known as ”debulking”.
Surgery may also be done simply to improve a patient’s quality of life, for example to remove a tumour that is causing unbearable pain by pressing on a nerve.
Cancer Surgery Techniques
Technology is constantly coming up with new techniques for cancer surgery. The goal has been to come up with techniques that are less invasive, less painful and involve less harm to affected organs. The technique preferred will depend of course on the type of cancer.
- Cryosurgery uses intense cold to freeze the cancerous cells to death.
- Electrosurgery uses high frequency electric current to kill the tumour cells.
- Laser surgery is used to treat many types of cancer. An intense beam of light is targeted on the tumour and burns the cancer cells, or it may be used to activate a chemical previously administered and absorbed by the diseased cells. The chemical then kills the cells.
- Robotic surgery, where a robot controlled remotely manipulates the surgical instruments.
- Laparoscopic surgery, where the surgeon operates remotely with the help of a small camera inserted through a small incision in the body
- Moh’s surgery where the surgeon removes the tumour layer by layer, especially for tumours in sensitive organs like the eye
- Natural orifice surgery, where surgery in the abdomen is done without cutting through the skin. Instead the instruments used for the surgery are passed through the mouth, rectum or vagina.