Cancer Treatment Modalities: Surgery

Question 1

Surgical Oncology goals (8)

Answer 1

1) Prophylactic
2) Diagnostic
3) Staging
4) Curative
5) Debulking
6) Palliative
7) Supportive (Surgery for Ports)
8) Restorative (Reconstructive)

Question 2

Types of biopsies

Answer 2

1) Fine needle aspiration
2) Core needle biopsy
3) Excisional or incisional biopsy
4) Endoscopy
5) Endoscopic ultrasound
6) Laparoscopy, Thoracoscopy, Mediastinoscopy
7) Open surgical exploration (laparotomy or thoracotomy)

Question 3

A procedure done to remove tissue (called a sample) from an area that may be cancerous

Answer 3

Biopsy

Question 4

Fine needle aspiration biopsy =

Answer 4

Very thin needle attached to a syringe to pull out small bits of tissue

• can be guided by US, CT if tumor is too deep
• Advantage: no need to cut skin
• Drawback = when needle cannot take out enough tissue

Question 5

Core needle biopsy =

Answer 5

Uses a larger needle ot take out a thin core of tissue

-can be guided by US, CT if tumor is too deep

Question 6

Excisional or incisional biopsy =

Answer 6

Surgeon cuts through skin to remove entire tumor (excisional biopsy) or small part of tumor (incisional biopsy)

Question 7

Endoscopic biopsy =

Answer 7

Uses long thin flexible tube with tiny video camera and light on the end to see the tumors (GI, lungs) and take samples

Advantage: incision and general anesthesia not needed

Question 8

Endoscopic ultrasound =

Answer 8

Ultrasound devices connected to end of endoscopes -> allows doctor to picture layers of the (esophagus, trachea, bronchi) by using sound waves

Needle comes out through endoscope

can also see nearby lymph nodes and organs

Question 9

Laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, mediastinoscopy =

Answer 9

Like endoscopy but small cut made in skin of abdomen

Usually needs general anesthesia

Question 10

Laparotomy or thoracotomy

Answer 10

major open surgical exploration when needed, cut made from bottom of breast bone to low part of belly to look directly at area

Question 11

Surgeries to treat cancer (8)

Answer 11

Laser surgery 
Cryosurgery 
Electrosurgery 
Radiofrequency ablation 
Mohs surgery 
Laparoscopic surgery 
Thoracoscopic surgery 
Robotic surgery

Question 12

Laser Surgery =

Answer 12

Uses a highly focused, precise, and powerful beam of light energy to cut through tissue, burn and destroy cancers (cervix, lung, skin, other organs)

Question 13

Photocoagulation or Photoablation =

Answer 13

Using lasers to destroy tissue or seal tissues or blood vessels

Often used to relieve symptoms such as when large tumors block trachea or esophagus, causing breathing and eating problems

Question 14

Cryosurgery =

Answer 14

Liquid nitrogen spray or a very cold probe to freeze and kill abnormal cells

(skin, cervix, penis, liver, prostate)

Question 15

Electrosurgery =

Answer 15

High frequency electrical current used to destroy cells

skin, mouth

Question 16

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) =

Answer 16

High energy radio waves sent through needle to heat and destroy cancer cells

(liver, lungs, kidney)

Question 17

Mohs surgery =

Answer 17

Microscopically controlled surgery used to remove certain skin cancers, shaving off one thin layer at a time

• after each layer, doctor looks under microscope to check for cancer cells, repeatedly until cells in a layer look normal

Question 18

Laparoscopic surgery =

Answer 18

Long, thin, flexible tube put through small cut to look inside, sometimes takes pieces of tissue to check for cancer (colon, rectum, liver, prostate, uterus, kidney)

Question 19

Thoracoscopic surgery =

Answer 19

Thin tube with tiny video camera that can be put through small cut into chest after lung is collapsed -> tissue samples, fluid drainage, small tumor removal (lung)

Question 20

Robotic surgery =

Answer 20

Type of laparoscopic surgery where doctor sits in control panel with precise robotic arms to control scope and other special instruments (colon, prostate, uterus)

Question 21

Oncoplasty =

Answer 21

Done by onc surgeons also trained in plastic surgery allows patients to undergo tumor removal and cosmetic repair at the same time