In most cases, the surgeon removes the tumor and some tissue around
it. Removing nearby tissue may help prevent the tumor from growing
back. The surgeon may also remove some nearby lymph nodes.
The
side effects of surgery depend mainly on the size and location of the
tumor, and the type of operation. It takes time to heal after surgery.
The time needed to recover is different for each type of surgery. It is
also different for each person. It is common to feel tired or weak for
a while.
Some
people worry that having surgery (or even a biopsy) for cancer will
spread the disease. This seldom happens. Surgeons use special methods
and take many steps to prevent cancer cells from spreading. For
example, if they must remove tissue from more than one area, they use
different tools for each one. This approach helps reduce the chance
that cancer cells will spread to healthy tissue.
There are many specialists at Lafayette General who work with our medical oncologists if surgery is indicated, including general surgeons, urologists, and a specialty-trained surgical oncologist.
Several Lafayette General urologists utilize the da Vinci® robotic system for prostatectomies, click here to learn more about this less invasive procedure.
General information courtesy of:
The Web site of the National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov)
