Surgical Oncology
Last Update Date: 12/4/2024 3:03:30 PM
A Surgical Oncologist is a surgeon who specializes in the surgical management of cancer. Their primary role is to perform surgeries to diagnose, stage and treat cancer. They also manage certain complications related to cancer. Here is an overview of what a surgical oncologist does:
Surgical Oncology Areas of Interest Specialized Interventions
1) Screening and diagnosis in cases of suspicion or risk of cancer
a) Screening with Mammography and Breast USG for Breast Cancer and diagnosis and follow-up with other examinations if necessary
b) Screening with Gastroscopy and Colonoscopy for Colon, Rectum, Stomach and Esophageal Cancer and endoscopic treatment and follow-up if necessary
2) Specialized Cancer Surgeries and Current Treatment
a) Oncoplastic Breast Surgery (Safe results are achieved by not compromising both oncologic and aesthetic principles in breast cancer surgeries. Reconstruction is provided with the patient's own tissue or silicone implants after Breast Conserving Surgery or Mastectomy)
b) Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery (Robotic-Laparoscopic Cancer Surgery: Fast and reliable results are obtained with esophagus-stomach-large intestine, rectum, pancreas, liver, adrenal gland, spleen cancer surgeries)
c) Complex and Difficult Surgeries (Cytoreductive Surgery and Hot Chemotherapy-HIPEK-PIPAK: Safe results are obtained in recurrent cancer, advanced cancers involving other organs, cancer patients with peritoneal involvement)
d) Endocrine Surgery (In thyroid cancer operations, curative surgery is aimed with nerve monitoring and neck dissection technique. Pancreas and Adrenal Gland - Laparoscopic approach is applied in adrenal tumors)
e) Treatment of Malignant Melanoma and Sarcomas
Surgical Oncology Core Responsibilities:
1. Diagnosis:
• Performing biopsies to obtain tissue samples for pathology.
• Helping to confirm the type, stage, and extent of cancer. (e.g., evaluating mammography, breast ultrasound, gastroscopy, and colonoscopy)
2. Cancer Treatment:
• Curative Surgery: Removing tumors and surrounding tissue to eliminate cancer, aiming for clear margins (no remaining cancer cells). Using current treatment methods for this purpose. (e.g., Laparoscopic Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Oncoplastic Breast Surgery)
• Reduction Surgery: Reducing the size of a tumor when complete tumor removal is not possible, usually to increase the effectiveness of other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.
3. Staging and Evaluation:
• Determining the extent of cancer spread (staging) at the time of surgery.
• Using the findings to guide further treatment decisions.
4. Symptom Management and Palliative Care:
• Performing surgeries to relieve symptoms such as obstructions or pain caused by cancer.
• Focusing on improving the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.
5. Reconstructive Surgery:
• Working to restore appearance or function after tumor removal (e.g., Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, breast reconstruction after mastectomy).
6. Prevention:
• Performing preventive surgeries such as removing at-risk tissue (e.g., prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction with silicone implants or own tissue for those with BRCA mutations, prophylactic colectomy for syndromes such as HNPPC-FAP, prophylactic gastrectomy for CDH1 syndrome).
7. Collaboration with Multidisciplinary Teams:
• Working closely with medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, and other specialists to develop comprehensive treatment plans.
• Participating in tumor boards and other collaborative efforts to provide optimal care.
