Surgery is commonly included in the cancer treatment process. Sometimes, it’s done right away, and it will come later for other patients. Surgery also has a few uses, including diagnosis, staging, and removal of cancer.
Before an official cancer diagnosis is determined, a biopsy is commonly performed. In this minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon removes a small tissue sample for examination under a microscope. The doctor who analyzes the tissue is called a pathologist. The pathology report will tell your doctor if cancer is present, as well as the type of cancer and other attributes that are important for developing a treatment plan. For breast cancer, this would include hormone and HER2 status.
The goal of surgery is often to cure the patient by removing all of the cancer cells. Additional treatments are likely to follow to ensure no unseen cancer cells are left behind. The type of surgery needed depends on the type of cancer.
There are several approaches to breast cancer surgery that your surgeon will discuss with you.
The breast surgeons at Compass Oncology are experienced in these procedures and in making you as comfortable as possible throughout the process. For those who want breast reconstruction, breast cancer surgery is often done with a plastic surgeon who will either reconstruct the breast right away or prepare your breast area for the next surgery after you’ve healed from the first. If you’d prefer to “go flat” after a mastectomy, a different approach may be used to close the surgical incision.
A hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgeon specializes in pancreatic and liver cancer surgery. As with most types of cancer, the earlier the cancer is found and removed, the better the outcomes. The HPB Surgeon will review the information available to them and then perform surgery to determine if the surgery can be curative – complete removal of the cancer – or if the surgery will be palliative – relieving symptoms of cancer without removing all of the tumor.
Common procedures for GI cancers include:
Compass Oncology's pancreatic cancer treatment team includes an experienced HPB surgical oncologist. We understand the importance of timely surgical intervention to improve your likelihood of a healthier life while managing pancreatic cancer.
Surgery to remove cancer is almost always a part of gynecologic cancer treatment plans, including ovarian, endometrial (uterine), and cervical cancers. Quite often, a hysterectomy is required to remove the female reproductive organs that are affected. It’s usually done using a minimally invasive, robot-assisted surgical procedure guided by our gynecologic oncologists.
The timing of surgery is one of the most common questions patients ask. Most people assume it will be first before other treatments. However, in some cases, it’s a good idea to administer other treatments first to shrink the cancer and then perform surgery. This can help reduce the risk of cancer cells spreading during surgery and makes it a smaller area of focus for surgery.
Our cancer surgeons and oncologists work closely together to evaluate each patient’s needs and determine the best treatments and their timing. We focus on you and your unique diagnosis to decide the best timing for your surgery and other treatment options.
5050 NE Hoyt St., Suite 256, Portland, OR 97213 Near Providence Hospital