Cancer Surgery

Surgery to diagnose cancer

Surgery is one way to help diagnose cancer. In most cases, the only way to know if a person has cancer and what kind of cancer it is, is by taking out a small piece of tissue (called a sample) and testing it. The diagnosis is made by looking at cells from the sample with a microscope or by doing other lab tests on it.  This procedure is called a biopsy. Biopsies taken during surgery are often referred to as surgical biopsies.

How a sample is taken depends on where the tumor is and what type of cancer is suspected. For example, the method used for prostate biopsies is different from those used for lung biopsies.

Biopsy or FNAC procedures lead to spread of cancer which become aggressive after this procedure. It is better to avoid this procedure. 

Surgery to stage cancer

Staging surgery is done to find out how much cancer there is and how far it has spread. During this surgery, the area around the cancer including lymph nodes and nearby organs is examined. This is important because it provides information to guide treatment decisions and predict how people will respond to treatment. 

Although some information you get by this process but this will definitely not give any type of benefit to you.  

Curative surgery

Curative or primary surgery is usually done when cancer is found in only one part of the body, and it’s likely that all of the cancer can be removed. In this case, surgery can be the main treatment. It may be used alone or along with other treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which can be given before or after the operation. 

This is totally a false claim since cancer is a systemic metabolic disease. After removing cancer, cancer appears at other places and become more aggressive. This is only beneficial if you have tumour which is non-cancerous.

Surgery to debulk cancer

Debulking surgery is used to remove some, but not all, of the cancer. It’s sometimes done when taking out the entire tumor would cause too much damage to nearby organs or tissues. For example, it may be used for advanced cancer of the ovary and some lymphomas. In these cases, the doctor may take out as much of the tumor as possible and then treat what’s left with radiation, chemotherapy, or other treatments.

This may be tried in terminal cases but such cases are already too much debilitated. It is just a suffering and pain. It never gives any benefit to any cancer patients. Metabolic treatment can extend life without any harm.

Palliative surgery

This type of surgery is used to treat problems caused by advanced cancer. Palliative surgery can be used to correct a problem that’s causing discomfort or disability. For example, some cancers in the belly (abdomen) may grow large enough to block off (obstruct) the intestine. If this happens, surgery can be used to remove the blockage. Palliative surgery may also be used to treat pain when the pain is hard to control by other means. Palliative surgery helps ease problems caused by cancer and helps people feel better, but it’s not done to treat or cure the cancer itself.

Supportive surgery

Supportive surgery is done to help make it easier for people to get other types of treatment. For example, a vascular access device such as a Port-A-Cath® or Infusaport® is a thin, flexible tube that can be surgically placed into a large vein and connected to a small drum-like device that’s placed just under the skin. A needle is put into the drum of the port to give treatments and draw blood, instead of putting needles in the hands and arms each time.

Restorative (reconstructive) surgery

Reconstructive surgery is used to improve the way a person looks after major cancer surgery. It’s also used to restore the function of an organ or body part after surgery. Examples include breast reconstruction after mastectomy or the use of tissue flaps, bone grafts, or prosthetic (metal or plastic) materials after surgery for head and neck cancers. For more on these types of reconstructive surgery, see Breast Reconstruction Surgery and Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer.

Preventive (prophylactic) surgery

Preventive or prophylactic surgery is done to remove body tissue that’s likely to become cancer – even though there are no signs of cancer at the time of the surgery. Sometimes an entire organ is removed when a person has a condition that puts them at very high risk for having cancer there. The surgery is done to reduce cancer risk and help prevent the chance of cancer, but it doesn’t guarantee cancer prevention.

For example, some women with a strong family history of breast cancer have an inherited change in a breast cancer gene (called BRCA1 or BRCA2). Because the risk of breast cancer is very high, removing the breasts (prophylactic mastectomy) may be considered. This means the breasts are removed before cancer is found. 

Since cancer is not a genetic disease, it useless to have pain and suffering without any reason. If you really want cancer prevention you must take metabolic treatment for cancer prevention.

कैंसर से बचने के लिए मेटाबोलिक उपचार से बेहतर कोई पद्धति नहीं है इसलिए अगर आपको कैंसर होने की संभावना है तो मेटाबोलिक उपचार लें

Possible side effects of cancer surgery

Possible complications during surgery may be caused by the surgery itself, drugs used , and your overall health. Generally speaking, the more complex the surgery is, the greater the risk of side effects.

Minor operations and taking tissue samples (biopsies) usually have less risk than a bigger surgery. Pain at the surgery site is the most common problem. Infections at the site and reactions to the drugs used to numb the area (local anesthesia) are also possible.

Some side effects are possible during and after surgery. Generally, these side effects are not expected to be life threatening. They can include:

• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Damage to nearby tissues
• Drug reactions
• Damage to other organs
• Pain
• Infections
• Slow recovery of other body functions

Bleeding

Bleeding is part of any surgery and is usually controlled. Bleeding can happen either inside the body (internally) or outside the body (externally). Bleeding can occur if a blood vessel was not sealed off during surgery or if a wound opens up.

Doctors try to limit the risk of bleeding by being very careful when working near blood vessels. They also look out for other factors that can make it easier to bleed such as checking lab tests to make sure a person’s blood can clot normally. Serious bleeding may cause the person to need another operation to find the source of the bleeding and stop it.

Blood clots

Blood clots can form in the deep veins of the legs after surgery, especially if a person stays in bed for a long time. Such a clot can become a serious problem if it breaks loose and travels to another part of the body, such as a lung. This is a big reason why you’ll be encouraged to get out of bed to sit, stand, and walk as soon as possible.

Damage to nearby tissues

Internal organs and blood vessels can be damaged during surgery. Again, doctors are careful to do as little damage as possible.

Drug reactions

Some people have reactions to the drugs used (anesthesia) or other medicines needed during surgery. Although rare, these can be serious because they can cause dangerously low blood pressure. Your heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and other signs will be watched closely throughout the surgery to look for this.

Damage to other organs

Surgery can lead to problems with other organs, such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys. These problems are very rare but can be life-threatening. They are more likely to happen to people who already have problems with these organs. This is why doctors get a complete medical history and do tests to look for possible risks before surgery is done.

Pain

Almost everyone has some pain after surgery. Pain is normal, but it should not be allowed to slow down your recovery. There are many ways to deal with surgical pain. Medicines for pain range from aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol®) to stronger drugs, like codeine and morphine.

You can get more information on pain medicines and how they’re used on our website section on pain.

Infections

Infection at the site of the incision (cut) is a possible problem. Doctors take great care to reduce this risk by cleaning the area and keeping the area around it sterile, but infections do happen. Antibiotics, either as a pill or given through a vein in your arm (IV), are able to treat most infections.

A lung infection (pneumonia) can occur, especially in patients with reduced lung function, such as smokers. Doing deep breathing exercises as soon as possible after surgery helps lessen this risk.

Other infections can develop within the body, especially if the stomach or intestines were opened during the operation. Doctors take great care to try to prevent this. But if it happens, antibiotics will be needed.

Slow recovery of other body functions

Some body functions, such as bowel activity, can be slow to recover and can sometimes become serious, too. Getting out of bed and walking around as soon as possible after surgery can help lower this risk.

Possible long-term side effects of cancer surgery

Ask if there could be any long-term effects from the surgery. Long-term side effects depend on the type of surgery done. You might want to ask about effects on fertility if surgery is being done on your reproductive organs. People who have colorectal cancer surgery may need an opening in the belly to which the end of the colon is attached (a colostomy). Men having their prostate removed (radical prostatectomy) are at risk for losing control of their urine (incontinence) or becoming unable to get or keep an erection (impotence). Your doctor should talk to you about the possible long-term effects of surgery before the operation