While cancer surgery is common, there’s no fixed treatment for cancer recovery and management. You might feel confused about whether your oncologist recommends surgery first. Well, it completely depends on your unique health demands.
Mostly, the right treatment plan relies on the cancer stage, tumor size, and overall health of the patient. Receive personalized guidance and care from the top oncologist, Dr. Saptarshi Ghosh, at the best Siliguri cancer hospital.
Surgery is more often one of the first therapies that most people think of when they hear the term "cancer,” and it’s obvious. And that's just what occurs in many cancer treatments. Surgery may save a life; however, it isn't always the best solution or even possible.
Let's simplify why surgery isn't always the best choice for treating cancer and what alternatives could be more effective.
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The Cancer Has Spread (Metastasized)
Here, this is the most common cause. When the cancer is localized, or limited to one area (where it starts), surgery is most effective. But, removing the initial tumor won't treat cancer if it has metastasized, or traveled up to other organs or sections of the body.
Because the cancer has spread, removing a single tumor won't kill all of the cancer cells, which need systemic care. In these situations, cancer specialists use systemic therapies, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy, which may spread throughout the body and target cancer cells wherever they may be.
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The Tumor is Located in a Hard-to-Reach Place
It’s also possible that the cancer is present in a place where surgery would be too dangerous. Tumors in the brainstem, spine, or close to important blood arteries, for instance, may be too risky to treat with surgery.
Surgey in such cases may impair vital functions, such as speech, movement, and breathing. So, certain situations may demand non-invasive therapies that don't harm important organs, such as radiation therapy, to reduce or manage the tumor or systemic chemotherapy.
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Surgery Doesn't Work Well for Some Cancers
Because they don't develop into solid tumors or because traditional surgery doesn't increase survival, oncologists advise other cancer therapies, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy.
Leukemia: A blood cancer that spreads to other parts of the body, where no tumor needs to be removed.
Multiple Myeloma and Lymphoma: These are blood-related malignancies that are usually treated with medicine, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, etc.
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The Cancer Is Too Advanced
Cancer surgery may not be an option for cancer that is in a very advanced stage. If the tumor has become too big or is encroaching on other surrounding organs, doctors usually don’t advise surgery to treat it.
Using therapies like radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or medicines, cancer doctors try to slow the cancer down and ease symptoms in such cases. Receive expert advice at the best Siliguri cancer hospital.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy in cancer treatment that doctors follow; treatment is completely patient-centered. Surgical care has always been a valuable and effective choice, but it's not always the safest for every cancer patient.
After considering the advantages and disadvantages, some people choose not to have cancer surgery. They may worry about the impact on their day-to-day lives, healing time, or further concerns. Doctors may present substitutes that fit the patient's objectives and values if surgery is not their choice.
Before advising the right cancer treatment plan, doctors always consider a number of factors, including the patient's general health, the location of the disease, the extent of its metastasis, patient’s general health, and their preferences. You might consult a specialist at one of the best cancer hospitals in Siliguri.
