Surgical Oncology is a significant field of general surgery that deals with the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancerous tumors. A crucial factor for the successful management of the disease is the detailed preoperative evaluation of the patient within the framework of the Oncology Committee, which consists of Surgeons, Oncologists, Radiologists, Radiation Therapists, and Pathologists.
It requires excellent knowledge of surgical anatomy, surgical techniques, and the biology of cancer to provide comprehensive treatment, including complete surgical removal and adjunctive therapy with chemotherapy or radiation.
Sarcoma surgery is a particularly demanding part of Surgical Oncology and focuses on the treatment of malignancies originating from the soft tissues of the body, such as muscles, fat, or connective tissue. The goal of the surgery is to remove the entire tumor while preserving the normal functions of the patient.
The most challenging and promising aspect of Surgical Oncology concerns the management of peritoneal carcinomatosis, i.e., the spread of cancer cells throughout the peritoneal cavity. A condition previously considered inoperable, it can now, under certain conditions, be treated, increasing survival expectancy, improving quality of life, and providing a potential cure. Specialized and technically demanding techniques are used, such as cytoreductive surgery and the combination of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).
