Surgery, Side effects, and Implications for Physical Activity Flashcards
What is surgery good for?
- Prevention
- Diagnosis
- Staging
- Treatment
What is the role of surgery related to cancer?
Each case is different*
- Goal is to remove as much cancer as possible and preserve as much normal tissue and function as possible
Do most cancer survivors undergo surgery?
Yes
What is prevention surgery?
Removing tissue that is not malignant but might become malignant
What is an example of a prevention surgery?
Mastectomy for women with high risk of breast cancer, but this is not commonly done
Why is diagnostic surgery done?
Done to get a sample of a tissue to do a biopsy and see if it’s benign or malignant
Types of biopsys
- Fine needle aspiration (go into mass and pull cells to examine)
- Core needle aspiration (bigger needle to take chunk out of the mass)
- Excisional and Incisional Biopsies (ex = taking entire tumour out, In = little piece of tumour out and that being sent to be examined)
What is an Endoscopy?
A camera is inserted through natural body openings (bladder, colon, etc). Surgeon can view the tumour and biopsy can be done through the scope inserted
What is a Laproscopy?
Like an endoscopy but an incision is made in the abdomen and the scope is inserted
Benefits of a laproscopy?
Minimally invasive, quick recovery and little pain
What is staging surgery?
Done often from diagnostic results and determines how much cancer is present and how much it has spread to determine what stage the cancer is at
When is curative surgery done?
Done when appears tumour is confirmed (removing tumour or as much as possible)
What type of surgery is a form of primary treatment?
Curative surgery
When are Chemo and Radiation therapy often initiated in patients?
- Pre-surgery (neo-adjuvant) > often done when trying to shrink masses before surgery
- Post-surgery (adjuvant) > often done if surgery did not cure the cancer
What is Debulking surgery used for?
Used when it would be dangerous to remove the entire tumour
What is Debulking surgery?
When parts of the tumour is removed. Chemo and radiation is done to kill off the rest (not best case scenario)
What is Palliative surgery used for?
When a patient is confidently not expected to survive, palliative surgery treats complications of an advanced cancer to enhance quality of life (corrects problem that is painful)
Example of a Palliative surgery
Cancer in the abdomen that blocks the intestine, inability to poop. Surgically remove the blockage part of the tumour to allow them to poop normally
What is restorative (Reconstructive) surgery?
Restores function or appearance after curative/debulking surgery
Example of reconstructive surgery
Breast reconstruction after mastectomy due to breast cancer is most commonly done (cancer can come back and would be harder to find due to reconstruction)
What is Lymphedema?
Swelling caused by buildup of lymph fluid in soft tissues (any lymphatic system disruption)
- can be in the arms or legs
What causes Lymphedema?
Caused by blockage in lymph system
What can result from Lymphedema?
Scarring after lymph nodes are surgically removed
Who is Lymphedema most often seen in?
Breast cancer survivors who have had their lymph nodes removed
What symptoms/issues does lymphedema cause?
- Pain
- Discomfort
- Body image problems
Can physical activity be beneficial for treating lymphedema?
It used to be believed that physical activity increases lymphedema, but recently we’ve learned physical activity can decrease lymphedema
What can cause body image issues?
- Scarring
- Disfigurement of the body
(loss of breasts, etc)
Does physical activity help with body image issues?
It doesn’t fix the issues, but can build confidence or distract from insecurities
What type of pain can occur after surgery?
Post-surgical pain that can be long-term or short-term
- stiffness, physical pain due to lack of muscular movement, etc
Can physical activity be helpful for pain post surgery?
Depends on the timeline, but if cleared to be physically active, exercise and physiotherapy can reduce pain
What causes a loss of function post surgery?
Muscles removed during surgery, causing an inability to move or function accordingly. May require outside mechanism to produce proper function
