tumor removal
Tumor removal, also known as resection or excision, is a surgical procedure where a tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue are removed to prevent recurrence and ensure complete removal of cancerous cells.
What it is
Tumor resection or excision is a common surgical procedure used in cancer treatment, where the surgeon carefully removes a tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue surrounding it.
Why it's done
- Complete removal: The primary goal is to remove the entire tumor to prevent its return.
- Prevent recurrence: Removing the tumor with a margin of healthy tissue helps ensure that no cancerous cells remain behind, decreasing the risk of recurrence.
- Relieve symptoms: In some cases, surgery can be used to remove tumors that are causing pain or pressure.
Types of surgery
- Curative surgery: This aims to remove the cancerous tumor completely, often considered the primary treatment for localized tumors.
- Debulking surgery: If complete removal is not possible, this procedure aims to remove as much of the tumor as possible to reduce its size and make other treatments more effective.
- Preventive surgery: This involves removing tissue that may develop into a malignant tumor, such as polyps in the colon.
- Diagnostic surgery: This helps determine whether cells are cancerous by removing a tissue sample for testing and evaluation.
- Staging surgery: This helps determine the extent of cancer and whether it has spread.
Minimally invasive approaches
- Laparoscopic surgery: This involves making small incisions to access the tumor and remove it with specialized instruments.
- Neuroendoscopy: This minimally invasive technique allows surgeons to remove tumors through small holes in the skull or through the mouth or nose.
Other techniques
- Laser surgery: Uses focused beams of light to shrink or destroy cancer cells.
- Cryosurgery: Uses very cold materials to freeze and destroy cancer cells.
- Electrosurgery: Uses electric current to kill cancer cells.
- Mohs surgery: Carefully removes cancer layer by layer, with each layer being examined under a microscope to ensure all cancer cells are removed.
Recovery
- Recovery time varies depending on the type of surgery and the patient's overall health.