Role of surgeons in the management of cancer

The role of the surgeon in cancer management has evolved and now encompasses roles in diagnosis, staging, screening, prevention, and palliative care as well as the traditional role in surgical excision. The UK has three established cancer screening programmes for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer, where surgeons are required to perform clinical assessment, invasive diagnostic biopsies and surgical treatments. There are many different surgical techniques available for surgical treatment of cancer, many of which allow a minimally invasive approach including laparoscopic, endoscopic and robotic surgery. The progress of medical genetics and gene profiling now allows identification of ‘at-risk’ individuals for specific types of cancer where prophylactic or risk reducing surgery may be of patient benefit. Cancer treatment may result in disfigurement and loss of function, so reconstructive surgery is an integral part of cancer management. Patients with advanced disease can often be helped by surgery to relieve symptoms associated with their disease and improve their quality of life.