Surgical oncology is a type of oncology that treats cancer by removing tumors or cancerous tissue through surgery. There is some ambiguity about who practices surgical oncology, and this can be confusing. General surgeons are frequently called upon when surgical treatment of cancer is required. Surgical oncologists, on the other hand, have often specialized in this field for a long time and are part of a small group of experts.
Any surgeon who practices surgical oncology, regardless of title, can remove tumors from almost any part of the body surgically. Tumors in the spine, skeletal structure, or brain may be removed by other types of surgeons. For most people, this is only the beginning of their cancer treatment. Patients may require the services of a medical oncologist after tumor removal to help administer chemo and monitor for signs of remission or recurrence. In fact, it’s not uncommon for a medical oncologist who isn’t a surgeon to refer a patient to a surgical oncologist for surgery before starting chemotherapy. To provide the best care for patients, medical and surgical oncologists may collaborate closely.
This is a surgical specialty that requires a different level of training than non-surgical forms of oncology. General surgeons must complete 5 years of post-medical school residency training in general surgery at the very least. Then there’s surgical oncology, where the competition is fierce. This specialty is offered by fewer than 20 programs in the United States. If surgeons are accepted into one of these programs, they will study for another three years. Furthermore, some surgical oncology subspecialties, such as breast cancer surgery, are now available, which may lengthen the study period.
While this additional training is beneficial to the surgeon, many people may never meet a surgical oncologist due to their rarity. Though surgical oncology is a specialty, it may only refer to a type of treatment that is most commonly performed by general surgeons. Surgical oncologists are obviously highly trained specialists, but extra specialization isn’t always required for excellent care.
Because the term is still evolving, it may be more accurate to refer to surgery oncology as both an approach and a discipline. General surgeons use it to treat cancer when necessary, and they may choose to focus their careers on surgical cancer treatment even if they have not completed a residency in the field. A general surgeon, on the other hand, may perform oncology surgery as well as a variety of other procedures. This may be true for surgeons who work in smaller towns with a diverse population.