Mercy Cancer Services
Surgery
Even with the latest technology, most up-to-date
chemo and radiation treatments and some of the best developed
medications ever, it’s still true that the single best way to combat
cancer is to remove cancerous tissue.
“There’s just no better way,” says
Alan
Hollingsworth, M.D., medical director of Mercy Cancer Services. “While a
great deal of attention is given today to wonder drugs and high tech
approaches to cancer, we take for granted that the greatest leap in
survival of this disease comes from the treatment that eradicates or
removes the primary cancer.”
As a Mercy patient, you have access to leading surgical specialists.
If your treatment plan calls for surgical procedures, you will have the
advantage of your medical oncologist and radiation oncologist working
closely with your surgical specialist. This teamwork brings you multiple
opinions and coordinated treatment for your total well-being.
How is surgery used in cancer treatment? According to
the American Cancer Society (ACS), it is the oldest form of cancer
treatment. It provides the best chance to stop many types of cancer, and
it also plays a part in diagnosing, staging, and supporting cancer
treatment.
Having surgery for cancer is different for every patient, depending
on the type of surgery, the type of cancer, and the patient's health.
For some people, surgery is a major medical procedure with life-changing
side effects. For others, surgery is quick and has few side effects.
For a full discussion of cancer and surgery, visit Mercy's
cancer
library.
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