Does complete removal of solid tumors from the body decrease the chances of recurrence
Why does cancer recur even when the entire tumor is removed from the body? Surgery is usually the most effective form of treatment against solid tumors, yet recurrence is one of the greatest problems of oncology for both doctors and patients. If the whole tumor is removed, would it definitely cure cancer?
Surgical excision of the whole tumor greatly minimizes the possibility of recurrence since it ensures that the primary tumor is removed along with cancer-free margins. Nonetheless, cancer may recur in cases when microscopic cancerous cells are left undetected, are disseminated somewhere else in the body, or if the tumor itself is too aggressive. Moreover, tumor type, stage, genetics, as well as the application of other forms of treatment such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, affect the chances of recurrence.
Surgery is an excellent weapon against cancer, although it is far from being the only factor defining the prognosis of the disease. Probably, the right question should be asked about whether all the cancer cells have been destroyed.
What do you think?
MBH/PS