ABSTRACT
The concept of surgical excision is fundamental-that is, that complete removal of the tumor, sometimes with adjacent structures or the lymphatic drainage, may be helpful to the patient either by curing them entirely, by significantly elongating their life or by preventing or ameliorating symptoms. The role of surgery in cure is considerable-the only curative treatment for cancer of the stomach, pancreas, liver and colon is surgery. The role of surgery in palliation is also often considerable either in bypassing obstruction, for example in gastric outlet obstruction, or by debulking cancer either as a prelude to chemotherapy in ovarian cancer or to reduce symptoms from hormone secreting tumors. All treatments have some risks and surgery must be achieved with a minimum of mortality and morbidity for the risk/benefit equation to work in the patient’s favor.
