Surgical Oncology
Cancer treatments are developed on a case-by-case
basis by assessing your individual needs. For
some, surgery may be the best choice for evaluation
and treatment. Surgical procedures can be used
to obtain tissue samples to confirm diagnosis,
identify a specific cancer and/or determine the
extent of the disease.
Surgery is also used to
remove malignant and non-malignant tumors; treat
solid tumors like those found in the breast,
colon or lung; correct problems that create discomfort
or disability; and assist with other types of
treatment like the placements of IV access devices.
The Department
of Surgery has the resources
and capabilities to treat the entire spectrum
of adult neoplastic diseases. Surgical oncology
focuses on the management of breast and gastrointestinal
tract tumors including esophageal, gastric, small
bowel, colorectal, pancreatic and hepato-biliary
cancers. Click
here to learn more about our team.
The Department
of Surgery offers several different surgical
techniques and services including:
Education remains a priority through the academic
encouragement and mentoring of the surgical medical
students to participate in a monthly Surgical
Oncology Conference and GI research. As members
of the American College of Surgeons Oncology
Group (ACOSOG), they continue to develop the
Surgical Oncology Program through their participation
in clinical trials.
The surgeons participate
as speakers at support groups, health fairs and
community outreach screening programs. The strength
of the Surgical Oncology Program is the focus
on treating the whole person, not just the tumor.
Laser Surgery
Pennsylvania Hospital surgeons have been using
laser surgery for more than 20 years and are
pioneers in the use of cryosurgery (the use
of liquid nitrogen spray or a very cold probe
to freeze and kill abnormal cells) and electrosurgery
(the use of high-frequency electrical current
to destroy cells). We are one of the few facilities
in the Philadelphia region that offers prostate
cryosurgery, a minimally invasive procedure
that provides an alternative to removing the
prostate gland of men diagnosed with prostate
cancer. Studies show that laser treatment leads
to a better prognosis, a shorter hospital stay
and fewer complications such as less pain and
blood loss.
Minimally Invasive
Surgery
Our doctors are at the forefront of minimally
invasive diagnostic and surgical techniques including
fine needle aspirations (the use of a very thin
needle to withdraw a small amount of tissue from
a tumor); stereotactic biopsy (a computer-guided
extraction of a tissue sample); and sentinel
lymph node sampling (the removal of a single
lymph node rather than multiple nodes).
Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery
Pennsylvania Hospital surgeons are skilled in
a full range of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures
designed to restore a patient's appearance or
the function of an organ or body part following
the removal of a tumor. Services range from breast
reconstruction to facial skeletal surgery. For
people whose cancer involves a limb, advances
in surgical techniques have made limb-sparing
surgery a mainstay.
Surgical Supportive
Care
The surgical oncology program and the Abramson
Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospoital provide additional supportive
services for the holistic approach to the treatment
of cancer. A surgical oncology nurse coordinator
acts as a resource for the surgical oncologists
and patients by providing access to support groups,
nutritional services, educational programs, clinical
protocols and research activities. The nurse
coordinator works directly with the patients
to guide them through treatment.
Videoscopic Techniques
Our surgeons are leaders in videoscopic techniques,
including endoscopy and laparoscopy, which
rely on the use of small fiberoptic cameras
attached to thin, flexible tubes to generate
images from inside the body onto a television
monitor. We are leaders in researching and
testing new minimally invasive surgeries and
in offering training in videoscopic techniques
to other surgeons nationwide.
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