Surgical Oncology

Question 1

What are the different biopsy techniques available?

Answer 1

• Fine needle aspiration cytology
• Tru-cut needle biopsy =a piece of the tumour is sampled under local anaesthetic
• Incisional biopsy =a piece of the tumour is sampled at surgery
• Excisional biopsy =the whole of a mass is removed

Question 2

What is the aim of surgical resection of a tumour?

Answer 2

• Remove entirety of primary tumour
• adequate margins of clearance are required to minimise risk of local tumour recurrence
• Use of post op adjuvant radiotherapy / chemo required to reduce risk of local recurrence

Question 3

What is meant by Debulking Surgery? Used in what?

Answer 3

• To reduce the bulk of a tumour
• Used in ovarian cancer where effective debulking in addition to chemo significantly improves survival

Question 4

What is the view of surgery for metastases?

Answer 4

• Curative sufical resection is not indicated and may expose patient to unnecessary operation and delay effective treatment
• Some certain metastatic sited cancers may obtain cure but most need effective systemic therapy in addition to resection

Question 5

What is palliative surgery in oncology?

Answer 5

• indicated in patients whrn an improvement in quality of life is considered likely and risk of harm/likely length of hospital stay considered acceptable
• Examples inlude:
  
  • intestinal obstruction from intra-abdominal tumour
  • orthopaedic pinning of pathological fractures of bones