Surgery - Surgery

Early-stage cancers have a significantly higher chance of being cured if the tumor can be surgically removed. The surgeon will assess the size and location of the tumor, as well as the patient's overall health, including anesthesia risks, to determine if the patient is a suitable candidate for surgery.

In recent years, advancements in surgical techniques have been evident in the evolution from traditional open abdominal surgery to laparoscopic or robotic-assisted surgery (also known as "minimally invasive surgery"). As the name suggests, minimally invasive surgery reduces surgical trauma, while also minimizing the risk of blood loss and complications during surgery; smaller incisions lead to faster postoperative recovery, and shorter hospital stays.

Some patients require adjuvant therapy after surgery, including chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, to consolidate the therapeutic effect and reduce the chance of recurrence. This is because cancer cells may have already metastasized to other parts of the body via the lymphatic system or bloodstream before surgery. These extremely small amounts of cancer cells are invisible to the naked eye; they may lie dormant in the body and, given time, become active again and grow uncontrollably, leading to recurrence. Postoperative adjuvant therapy aims to further eliminate any remaining cancer cells in the patient's body, minimizing the chance of recurrence.