hematology and oncology
Surgery for Cancer
Primary Tumor Resection
If a primary tumor has not metastasized, surgery may be curative. Establishing a margin of normal tissue around the primary cancer is important for success. Intraoperative examination of tissue sections by a pathologist may be needed. Immediate resection of additional tissue is done if margins show cancer. Surgical resection may include removal of local and regional lymph nodes and/or resection of an involved adjacent tissue or organ. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be given before surgery to reduce the cancer size, limit the extent of surgery, and improve success rates. Adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be given after surgery to decrease the risk of recurrence. 