Advanced technology has made cancer surgeries painless, Swift

With the help of advanced technology in the fields of medicines, the ordeal of cancer patients has greatly reduced, as the procedures are now less painful and healing periods much shorter.

Dr. Ajit Pai a surgical oncologist general and Visceral, Laparoscopic and Robotic cancer surgery expert noted that field is continuously evolving and some of the latest advances  have been incorporated into medica practice.

  

According to him surgical oncology or cancer surgery as it is commonly known, is the branch of cancer medicine, which deals with the removal of cancerous growths in an organ.

He continued, “Typically the cancers amenable to surgical treatment are called solid organ cancers as distinct from those involving the blood or bone marrow elements [leukemias or blood cancer] or lymphatic glands [lymphomas].

He explained that solid organ cancers include those involving the mouth, throat, voice box, intestinal system, liver and pancreas, genitourinary organs, breast, brain and bones. In almost all these cancers, surgical intervention is necessary to obtain a diagnosis or to cure the patient. 

Dr. Ajit Pai noted that most of these advanced treatment are done at the Apollos Hospital India saying, “especially with organ preservation surgery, these days modern cancer treatment uses radiation and chemotherapy to shrink tumours, so that a less mutilating but equally effective operation can be performed”.

He added that in rectal cancers, almost half the patients would normally require complete removal with a permanent bag to drain intestinal contents [colostomy], but said, “now we are able to shrink tumours with radiation, such that the majority of patients are able to have a normal intestinal passage without need for a bag”.

Pai added that for breast cancer patient chemotherapy can be used to shrink the tumour followed by removal of the lump and the nodes in the armpit, preserving the form and function of the breast.

“This is especially important as we see more women with cancers at a young age”.

His words, “ Until recently, cancer surgery was always open using large incisions. Numerous studies have shown that ‘keyhole’ surgery using laparoscopic techniques is equally effective, has similar cure rates, is less painful and has a quicker return to normal activities than open surgery.

“We offer minimally invasive surgery for cancers of the foodpipe [esophagus], stomach, pancreas, large intestine [colon] and rectum and for gynaecologic cancers involving the uterus and cervix”.

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