Doctors treat cancer in a number of ways including radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.
Surgery is the oldest method of treatment. If a tumor is relatively localized, it can be removed surgically. Often, some of the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor is also removed to ensure all the malignant cells have been removed.Surgery is commonly used for cancer of the colon, breast, mouth, head and neck, testes, kidney and other parts of the body. Surgery also can be used to remove precancerous tissue (tissue that may become cancerous if left untreated) and can be used to relieve symptoms caused by the cancer. Often, surgery is combined with chemotherapy and/or radiation to improve results.
- Remove precancerous tissues
- Take tissue samples for identification and diagnosis
- Assess the disease
- Remove full or partial tumors
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