Cancer surgery is a treatment method for cancer patients which is generally performed to remove tumors or cancerous tissue in certain body parts. However, did you know that there are several other types of cancer surgery that serve different purposes?
Cancer surgery is often associated with the act of removing cancerous tissue from the body, so it is not uncommon for patients to think that the cancer tissue in their body has disappeared after surgery.
In fact, not all surgeries performed on cancer patients are aimed at removing the cancer. Cancer surgery can also be done to diagnose or just relieve the symptoms of cancer.
The Purpose of Cancer Surgery
The following are the types of cancer surgery seen by purpose:
1. Surgery to prevent cancer
This operation is not performed on patients diagnosed with cancer, but aims to prevent or reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer. In this operation, the doctor will remove a number of tissues or all organs that are at high risk of developing cancer.
The most commonly heard cancer prevention surgery is breast removal surgery. This surgery is usually recommended in people with a high family history of breast cancer. However, the implementation of this operation certainly needs to be preceded by an examination of the presence or absence of hereditary breast cancer genes.
2. Surgery to remove cancerous tissue
This cancer surgery is divided into 2, namely curative surgery and curative surgery debulking.
The goal of curative surgery is to completely remove the cancerous tissue. Curative surgery or primary surgery is usually performed if the cancer is only found in one part of the body and is not too large, allowing it to be removed entirely.
This surgery can be the main treatment for cancer, but it can also be done in conjunction with other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which are done before or after surgery.
Meanwhile, operation debulking generally done when removal of the entire cancerous tissue is not possible, for example because the cancer is too large or is located very close to an important organ or tissue, putting it at risk of causing damage to the organ or tissue.
Even so, the doctor will try to take as much cancer tissue as possible. Cancer tissue that is not removed by this surgery will be treated with other methods, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy
3. Surgery to diagnose cancer
In most cases, surgery is the most efficient way to determine whether a person really has cancer or not, as well as to find out what type of cancer he has. This method is known as a biopsy.
This operation is performed to open the tissue suspected of being cancerous, then a small portion of the tissue is taken for examination using a microscope. On microscopic examination, will be seen whether the tissue contains cancer cells or not. If so, the type of cancer will be determined by looking at the characteristics of the cancer cells.
4. Surgery to determine the stage of cancer
Cancer surgery is performed to determine the amount of cancer that has grown and how far it has spread. During this surgery, lymph nodes and organs around the cancerous tissue are also examined. This is done so that the doctor can decide what care and treatment will be given to the patient.
In addition to the four cancer surgeries above, there is also a so-called palliative surgery which aims to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life of cancer patients, for example to relieve pain because cancer tissue has suppressed nerves or bones.
This operation is also performed to treat complications caused by cancer growth. For example, colon cancer can block the digestive process. If this occurs, palliative surgery may be performed to remove the blockage.
Side Effects of Cancer Surgery
Side effects and risks that may be experienced by cancer surgery patients actually depend on the type of surgery performed. However, in general, cancer surgery patients are at risk for the following side effects:
- Painful
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Blood clotting
- Difficulty defecating and urinating
Another side effect is the loss of function of organs affected by cancer. When cancer occurs, it can be said that cancer tissue invades and occupies healthy tissue. Therefore, in some types of cancer surgery, for example in curative surgery, healthy tissue from cancer-affected organs can also be removed.
This can cause the loss of some of the functions of these organs, so that the balance of the patient's body functions can also be disturbed. For example, removing part of a lung in a lung cancer patient can cause the patient to have difficulty breathing later.
Side effects that may occur due to cancer surgery is quite a lot. However, don't worry. The above side effects can be prevented with adequate surgical preparation.
The decision to have cancer surgery will also be reviewed as well as possible to ensure the benefits outweigh the possible side effects. Doctors will also usually give medicines before or after surgery to prevent side effects.
If your doctor recommends that you have cancer surgery, make sure you understand the purpose of the surgery. Don't hesitate to ask your doctor about this, including about the side effects of surgery and the next steps in treating your cancer.
