Surgical oncology is an important branch of general surgery that focuses on the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of cancerous tumors. A crucial factor in the successful management of the disease is the detailed preoperative evaluation of the patient within the framework of an Oncology Board, consisting of surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, radiotherapists, and pathologists.
It requires excellent knowledge of surgical anatomy, surgical techniques, and the biology of cancer to provide a comprehensive approach, including complete surgical removal of the tumor, as well as adjunctive treatments like chemotherapy or radiation.
Sarcoma surgery is a particularly demanding field of surgical oncology and focuses on the management of malignancies that originate from the body’s soft tissues, such as muscles, fat, or connective tissue. The goal of surgery is to remove the entire tumor while preserving the patient’s normal functions.
The most challenging and promising aspect of surgical oncology involves the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis, which is the spread of cancer cells throughout the peritoneal cavity. A condition that was previously considered inoperable, it can now be treated under certain conditions, increasing life expectancy, improving quality of life, and offering the possibility of a cure. Techniques like cytoreductive surgery and the combination of cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are employed in these complex procedures.