Why Surgery is Crucial in Cancer Treatment: Key Reasons to Consider

Types of cancer surgeries

There are several types of surgeries performed on cancer patients. Some surgeries are used in combination with other cancer treatments. 

The types of cancer surgeries may include:

• Diagnostic surgery: This type of surgery is often used to determine whether any of the cells are cancerous. Diagnostic surgery is mostly used to remove a tissue sample for diagnosing any cancer growth in a suspected patient. This surgery helps to confirm the cancer through diagnosis, the type of cancer, and the stage of cancer.
• Staging surgery: This surgical procedure is often used to discover the stage of cancer, along with the extent of cancer. The laparoscopy is another procedure used for this type of surgery.  
• Curative surgery: This type of surgery is mostly performed to remove the cancer growth from the body. Surgical oncologists use this surgery to treat the cancerous tumor in a localized area of the body. Curative surgery is mostly performed as a first-line treatment in patients. 
• Restorative surgery: This type of surgery is basically performed as a follow-up to curative or other surgeries to change or restore a person’s appearance or the body part. For example, restorative surgery is mostly performed on breast cancer patients.
• Preventive surgery: This is another effective surgery used to remove tissue that does not contain any cancerous tissue, but it might develop into a malignant tumor. For example, polyps in the colon might be considered as a precancerous tissue, and preventive surgery is mostly used to perform to remove them.
• Debulking surgery: This surgery is mostly used to remove a portion, however, not all of the cancerous tumors. This is used in several situations where removing an entire tumor or cancer might cause damage to an organ or body.
• Supportive surgery: Supportive surgery is quite similar to palliative surgery because this surgery is not performed to cure cancer. Instead, this surgery helps other cancer treatments to work effectively. For example, supportive surgery is the insertion of a catheter to help with chemotherapy.

What are the other techniques used in cancer surgery?

There are many surgical procedures that are used to cure cancer. Some other specialized cancer surgeries and techniques may include:

• Cryosurgery: This is another surgical procedure that might use extremely cold temperatures to kill cancer cells. This type of surgical procedure is mostly used in the treatment of skin and cervical cancer.
• Electrosurgery: In this type of surgery, electric current is used to kill or destroy cancer cells.
• Laser surgery: Laser surgery mostly uses beams of light to destroy or shrink cancer cells in the body. 
• Mohs surgery: This method is often used to carefully remove cancer layer by layer. Each thin layer is removed carefully and tested under a microscope to analyze any signs of cancer. This process might be repeated until the cancer is removed from the body. 
• Laparoscopic surgery: This is a kind of minimally invasive surgery that often uses small cuts in the body rather than one large cut to treat cancer. A tiny camera and other surgical tools are inserted through the cut, along with another monitor that shows what the camera sees. The surgeon uses this as a guide to remove the cancer; smaller cuts mean you will recover faster and have fewer risks and problems after the surgery.

Risks of cancer surgery

There are some risks that are associated with performing surgeries on patients. Some of the risks mainly depend on the kind of surgical procedure you are undergoing.

Generally, cancer patients might have these type of risks, these may include:

• Pain: This is one of the most common risks or side effects of surgeries. Some surgical procedures cause more pain in patients. A healthcare provider might give you certain medicines to reduce the pain in people.
• Infection: There is an increased risk of infection in people who have undergone operations to remove cancer. Try to follow your doctor's advice to reduce the chance of getting an infection.
• Loss of organ function: To remove cancer from the body, your doctor might need to remove a part or an entire organ. For example, if you are diagnosed with liver cancer, then it might be completely removed for the cure of cancer. In some cases, you might face difficulty after the surgery, such as a removal of lungs might make it difficult to breathe. 
• Fatigue or weakness: In most cases, many patients face fatigue or weakness after the surgery. But this might get improved after some time.
• Bleeding: Most of the surgeries come with the risk of bleeding. If any other medications are used before, you need to inform them prior to your surgery to reduce the risk of bleeding.
• Clotting of blood: Recovery from surgery might also increase your risk of developing a rash. Even though this is a small risk, it can get serious in some cases. 
• Change in bowel function/bladder dysfunction: After the operation, most patients experience trouble with bowel movements and urination. It can get better after some days.