Surgical oncology

Last updated
Surgical Oncologist
Occupation
Names
  • Physician
  • Surgeon
Occupation type
 Specialty
Activity sectors
 Medicine, Surgery
Description
Education required
Fields of
employment
 Hospitals, Clinics

Surgical oncology is the branch of surgery applied to oncology; it focuses on the surgical management of tumors, especially cancerous tumors.

Contents

As one of several modalities in the management of cancer, the specialty of surgical oncology has evolved in steps similar to medical oncology (pharmacotherapy for cancer), which grew out of hematology, and radiation oncology, which grew out of radiology. The Ewing Society—known today as the Society of Surgical Oncology—was started by surgeons interested in promoting the field of oncology. In 2011, the American Board of Surgery ratified Complex General Surgical Oncology via a specialty Board certification. [1] The field was expected to continue expanding via the proliferation of cancer centers, as well as advanced minimally invasive techniques, palliative surgery, and neo-adjuvant treatments.

Debate

Whether surgical oncology constitutes a medical specialty per se is the topic of a heated debate. Today, some would agree that it is simply impossible for any one surgeon to be competent in the surgical management of all malignant disease [2] There are currently 19 surgical oncology fellowship training programs in the United States that have been approved by the Society of Surgical Oncology and this number is expect to grow. [3] While many general surgeons are actively involved in treating patients with malignant neoplasms, the designation of "surgical oncologist" is generally reserved for those surgeons who have completed one of the approved fellowship programs. However, this is a matter of semantics, as many surgeons who are thoroughly involved in treating cancer patients may consider themselves to be surgical oncologists. [4]

Most often, surgical oncologist refers to a general surgical oncologist (a subspecialty of general surgery), but thoracic surgical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists and so forth can all be considered surgeons who specialize in treating cancer patients.

Training

The importance of training surgeons who sub-specialize in cancer surgery lies in evidence, supported by a number of clinical trials, [5] that outcomes in surgical cancer care are positively associated to surgeon volume—i.e., the more cancer cases a surgeon treats, the more proficient he or she becomes, and his or her patients experience improved survival rates as a result. This is another controversial point, but it is generally accepted—even as common sense—that a surgeon who performs a given operation more often, will achieve superior results when compared with a surgeon who rarely performs the same procedure. This is particularly true of complex cancer resections such as, Breast Cancer Surgery, pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) for pancreatic cancer, and gastrectomy with extended (D2) lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer. In the United States and Canada, fellowship trained surgical oncologists have among the longest training periods of any physicians/surgeons. In some areas like Breast Diseases and Breast Cancer there we know as Breast Surgeon the specialist that only works with patients with breast diseases and breast cancer. A training period (clinical and research) of 6 to 8 years is typical and 8–10 years is not uncommon.

Surgical oncology types and forms

These are the most common types and forms of oncological surgery: [6]

Surgical oncology techniques

Newer surgical techniques are less invasive, use different types of surgical instruments, and lead to less pain and shorter recovery times. The most effective surgical oncology techniques are:

Books

One of the first text books dedicated to surgical oncology was written by the American-Irish surgeon, Theodore O'Connell in 1981. [9] Many publications in surgical oncology are also appearing. The majority are large reference textbooks that seemingly combine specialties that are not generally practiced by a single practitioner but cover the academic subject. A number of practical handbooks such as "surgical oncology" in the well read Oxford Handbooks series, have recently been published, perhaps alluding to the evolving practicality of this emerging discipline.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General surgery</span> Medical specialty

General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on alimentary canal and abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, and often the thyroid gland. They also deal with diseases involving the skin, breast, soft tissue, trauma, peripheral artery disease and hernias and perform endoscopic as such as gastroscopy, colonoscopy and laparoscopic procedures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neurosurgery</span> Medical specialty of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system

Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in common parlance as brain surgery, is the medical specialty concerned with the surgical treatment of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otorhinolaryngology</span> Medical specialty

Otorhinolaryngology is a surgical subspeciality within medicine that deals with the surgical and medical management of conditions of the head and neck. Doctors who specialize in this area are called otorhinolaryngologists, otolaryngologists, head and neck surgeons, or ENT surgeons or physicians. Patients seek treatment from an otorhinolaryngologist for diseases of the ear, nose, throat, base of the skull, head, and neck. These commonly include functional diseases that affect the senses and activities of eating, drinking, speaking, breathing, swallowing, and hearing. In addition, ENT surgery encompasses the surgical management of cancers and benign tumors and reconstruction of the head and neck as well as plastic surgery of the face, scalp, and neck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radiation therapy</span> Therapy using ionizing radiation, usually to treat cancer

Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is a treatment using ionizing radiation, generally provided as part of cancer therapy to either kill or control the growth of malignant cells. It is normally delivered by a linear particle accelerator. Radiation therapy may be curative in a number of types of cancer if they are localized to one area of the body, and have not spread to other parts. It may also be used as part of adjuvant therapy, to prevent tumor recurrence after surgery to remove a primary malignant tumor. Radiation therapy is synergistic with chemotherapy, and has been used before, during, and after chemotherapy in susceptible cancers. The subspecialty of oncology concerned with radiotherapy is called radiation oncology. A physician who practices in this subspecialty is a radiation oncologist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urology</span> Medical specialty

Urology, also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary-tract system and the reproductive organs. Organs under the domain of urology include the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and the male reproductive organs.

A radiation oncologist is a specialist physician who uses ionizing radiation in the treatment of cancer. Radiation oncology is one of the three primary specialties, the other two being surgical and medical oncology, involved in the treatment of cancer. Radiation can be given as a curative modality, either alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. It may also be used palliatively, to relieve symptoms in patients with incurable cancers. A radiation oncologist may also use radiation to treat some benign diseases, including benign tumors. In some countries, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are controlled by a single oncologist who is a "clinical oncologist". Radiation oncologists work closely with other physicians such as surgical oncologists, interventional radiologists, internal medicine subspecialists, and medical oncologists, as well as medical physicists and technicians as part of the multi-disciplinary cancer team. Radiation oncologists undergo four years of oncology-specific training whereas oncologists who deliver chemotherapy have two years of additional training in cancer care during fellowship after internal medicine residency in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bone tumor</span> Medical condition

A bone tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in bone, traditionally classified as noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). Cancerous bone tumors usually originate from a cancer in another part of the body such as from lung, breast, thyroid, kidney and prostate. There may be a lump, pain, or neurological signs from pressure. A bone tumor might present with a pathologic fracture. Other symptoms may include fatigue, fever, weight loss, anemia and nausea. Sometimes there are no symptoms and the tumour is found when investigating another problem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast-conserving surgery</span> Surgical operation

Breast-conserving surgery refers to an operation that aims to remove breast cancer while avoiding a mastectomy. Different forms of this operation include: lumpectomy (tylectomy), wide local excision, segmental resection, and quadrantectomy. Breast-conserving surgery has been increasingly accepted as an alternative to mastectomy in specific patients, as it provides tumor removal while maintaining an acceptable cosmetic outcome. This page reviews the history of this operation, important considerations in decision making and patient selection, and the emerging field of oncoplastic breast conservation surgery.

An orthopedic (orthopaedic) oncologist is a physician and surgeon who specializes in the diagnoses and treatment of primary benign and malignant tumors of the bones.

Geriatric oncology is a branch of medicine that is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the elderly, usually defined as aged 65 and older. This fairly young but increasingly important subspecialty incorporates the special needs of the elderly into the treatment of cancer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oncology</span> Branch of medicine dealing with, or specializing in, cancer

Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an oncologist. The name's etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγκος (ónkos), meaning "tumor", "volume" or "mass". Oncology is concerned with:

Interventional oncology is a subspecialty field of interventional radiology that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and cancer-related problems using targeted minimally invasive procedures performed under image guidance. Interventional oncology has developed to a separate pillar of modern oncology and it employs X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to help guide miniaturized instruments to allow targeted and precise treatment of solid tumours located in various organs of the human body, including but not limited to the liver, kidneys, lungs, and bones. Interventional oncology treatments are routinely carried out by interventional radiologists in appropriate settings and facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Westchester Hospital</span> Hospital in New York, United States

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), now known as Northwell Health, is a not-for-profit, 245-bed, all-private-room facility in Mount Kisco, New York. Founded in 1916, it serves residents of Northern Westchester, Putnam County and southern Dutchess County, as well as parts of Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Sonja Eva Singletary was an American surgeon who specialized in the care of breast cancer. She was a faculty member at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a past president of the Society of Surgical Oncology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandeep Nayak</span>

Sandeep Nayak is an Indian surgical oncologist based in Bangalore, India, known as the pioneer of robotic thyroidectomy technique called RABIT and Minimally Invasive Neck Dissection. He is the founder of MACS Clinic, Bangalore. He is the Senior Director and the Head of Department of surgical oncology at Fortis Hospital, Bangalore. Nayak was recipient of the KS International Innovation Award for his technique of RIA-MIND andTimes Health Excellence Award for 2018 by The Times of India. Nayak is the member of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and American Society of Clinical Oncology. He has previously held the position of the assistant professor at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology from 2012 to 2017. Nayak has been constantly ranked among the top oncologists in India

Anne Louise Rosenberg is an American surgical oncologist retired from practice in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Emilia Dauway MD, FACS, FRACS is an American trained surgeon who is practicing general, breast and oncologic surgery in Australia. Dauway was co-inventor of the use of radioactive seeds in the breast to localise non-palpable breast cancers and the first in Australia to use magnetic seeds instead of radioactive seeds. This technique replaces hookwire or needle localisation improving patient safety, outcomes and satisfaction. The method was patented by the University of South Florida while Dauway was a fellow of surgical oncology. The method has been used since 1999 and has improved with the development of modern equipment. Dauway is also a Yoga Instructor, a Keynote speaker and is founder/director of Restore More, a non-profit initiative which provides education and funding to women in regional and geographically disadvantaged areas for breast cancer treatment and reconstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armando E. Giuliano</span> American surgical oncologist

Armando Elario Giuliano is a surgical oncologist, surgeon scientist and medical professor in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. He is the Linda and Jim Lippman Chair in Surgical Oncology and co-director of Saul and Joyce Brandman Breast Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre</span> Hospital in Rajasthan, India

The Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (BMCHRC) is located in Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, Bajaj Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan. It is also popularly known as BMCHRC. The hospital is NABH and NABL accredited super speciality cancer treatment centre. The hospital is following international protocol for cancer treatment managed by K.G. Kothari Memorial Trust. The centre is committed to providing comprehensive care along with prevention and research in cancer.

Timothy Michael Pawlik is an American surgical oncologist. He is Chair of the Department of Surgery and the Urban Meyer III and Shelley Meyer Chair for Cancer Research at The Ohio State University and Surgeon-in-Chief at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

References

  1. ↑ "New Certificate in Complex General Surgical Oncology | American Board of Surgery". www.absurgery.org. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  2. ↑ "Editorial Note on Carcinoma | Oncology and Case Report" (PDF). www.iomcworld.org.
  3. ↑ Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Programs
  4. ↑ "Surgical Oncology Education".
  5. ↑ Surgical Oncology Program Clinical Trials
  6. ↑ "How Surgery Is Used for Cancer". American Cancer Society. Retrieved 22 Sep 2020.
  7. ↑ How Surgery Is Used for Cancer American Cancer Society.
  8. ↑ Special Surgical Techniques American Cancer Society.
  9. ↑ O'Connell, Theodore (1981). Surgical Oncology. G. K. Hall & Co., Boston, Mass. ISBN   9780816121571.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.