Cancer surgery is a type of surgery that aims to remove cancerous tissue from the body. It can be used to treat many different types of cancer.

There are mainly three types of cancer surgery, i.e., open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic-assisted surgery.

Surgery is often the most effective way to remove a cancer tumour, prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body and save a patient’s life. Other treatments, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy, may be more appropriate in some cases either in combination with surgery or on their own.

During cancer surgery, you will be sleeping under general anaesthesia and the surgeon will remove the cancerous tissue. So, you will not feel any sensation. After surgery, the newer approaches such as robotic surgery and use of analgesics make the recovery much quicker with minimal pain and shorter hospital stays.

Like any surgery, cancer surgery does carry some risks, such as bleeding, infection, and adverse reactions to anaesthesia. However, these risks can often be managed with proper care and monitoring.

Your surgical team will provide you with instructions on how to prepare for surgery, which may include not eating or drinking for a certain period of time before the procedure, and stopping certain medications.

Recovery time varies depending on the type of surgery and the individual case. Unlike open surgery where it may sometime take weeks for wounds to heal, robotic surgery patients may get discharged with in 2-3 days followed by a quick recovery at home in most cases.

You can speed up your recovery after cancer surgery by following your doctor’s instructions, taking any prescribed medications, getting plenty of rest, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in light physical activity as recommended by your doctor.

Yes, you will likely need follow-up care after cancer surgery, such as additional treatments or regular check-ups with your doctor to monitor for any recurrence of cancer.

Surgery can cure cancer if all of the cancerous tissue is successfully removed. However, it is not always possible to remove all of the cancerous tissue with surgery alone, and additional treatments may be necessary to fully eradicate the cancer. Key to cancer remission is early detection and treatment. More you delay, more are the chances for the cancer to spread to multiple organs etc., making the disease management more complex for doctors.