Oncologic Surgeons

For many decades, surgery was the only known treatment for cancer.

But over the past century, the world of Western Medicine has developed additional cancer treatments which have enhanced surgical solutions. To date, only surgical interventions can definitively address almost all solid cancers. That said, progress has been material and continues to improve outcomes.

Therapies for cancer patients have evolved tremendously in recent decades. That brings us to the evolution of oncologic surgeons.

Oncologic surgeons lead diversified teams, managing the application of treatments like molecular therapies, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This is the contemporary standard of therapeutic responses to cancer, with oncologic surgeons leading teams of cancer professionals.

A Surgical Team Lead

Oncologic surgeons serve as surgical organizers and leaders. With a massive body of knowledge about the range of treatments which can be called on to address primary or secondary cancer, they’re focused on complex cases.

Certified by the American Board of Surgery and the Surgical Oncology Board, oncologic surgeons bring specialized skill and compassionate team leadership to patients fighting cancer. This care encompasses maintaining high standards for the taking of tissue and banking specimens.

Murray Brennan of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York has pinpointed 7 important sectors of knowledge for oncologic surgeons:

Knowledge of genetic predisposition and etiology
Understanding the cancer in play’s natural history and prognostic factors
Treatment cost containment
Engagement in the development of clinical trials
Proven command of managing advanced disease
Facility in patient support
Precise outcome evaluation

Education and Research Leaders

Oncologic surgeons aren’t solely found in the operating theater. They’re not just working as leaders for patient support teams but educating patients and their families and driving research and offering education about cancer care in universities and hospitals.

As education and research leaders, oncologic surgeons are changing the game. Education and research are pivotal in evolving the delivery of cancer therapies and directly improving outcomes.

Often present for initial diagnosis and testing, oncologic surgeons are uniquely positioned to be enormously effective leaders in community awareness and prevention education, early diagnosis and the tremendous value of screening.

As this increasingly influential cancer care leadership role evolves and becomes a value-added fixture in the medical community, its mission is growing into that of cancer prevention leadership. By leading clinical trials and research efforts, oncologic surgeons are breaching new frontiers in treatment approaches which improve cancer care and survival rates.

That means better outcomes for patients!