Surgical oncology: Difference between revisions

Whether surgical oncology constitutes a medical specialty ''per se'' is the topic of a heated debate. Today, some would agree that it is simply impossible for any one surgeon to be competent in the surgical management of ''all'' malignant disease<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iomcworld.org/open-access/editorialnote-on-carcinoma.pdf|title=Editorial Note on Carcinoma {{!}} Oncology and Case Report|website=www.iomcworld.org}}</ref> There are currently 19 surgical oncology fellowship training programs in the United States that have been approved by the Society of Surgical Oncology and this number is expect to grow.<ref>[https://www.surgonc.org/fellows/surgical-oncology-fellowships/program-list/ Surgical Oncology Fellowship Training Programs]</ref> While many general surgeons are actively involved in treating patients with malignant neoplasms, the designation of "surgical oncologist" is generally reserved for those surgeons who have completed one of the approved fellowship programs. However, this is a matter of semantics, as many surgeons who are thoroughly involved in treating cancer patients may consider themselves to be surgical oncologists.<ref>{{citationCite neededweb|reasonurl=Your explanation herehttps://www.surgonc.org/surgical-oncology-education/|datetitle=NovemberSurgical 2014Oncology Education}}</ref>

The importance of training surgeons who sub-specialize in cancer surgery lies in evidence, supported by a number of [[clinical trials]],<ref>[https://ccr.cancer.gov/surgical-oncology-program/clinical-trials Surgical Oncology Program Clinical Trials]</ref> that outcomes in surgical cancer care are positively associated to surgeon volume—i.e., the more [[cancer]] cases a surgeon treats, the more proficient he or she becomes, and his or her patients experience improved survival rates as a result. This is another controversial point, but it is generally accepted—even as common sense—that a surgeon who performs a given operation more often, will achieve superior results when compared with a surgeon who rarely performs the same procedure. This is particularly true of complex cancer resections such as, [[Breast Cancer Surgery]] [[pancreaticoduodenectomy]] (Whipple procedure) for pancreatic cancer, and [[gastrectomy]] with extended (D2) [[lymphadenectomy]] for gastric cancer. In the United States and Canada, fellowship trained surgical oncologists have among the longest training periods of any physicians/surgeons. In some areas like [[Breast Diseases]] and [[Breast Cancer]] there we know as Breast Surgeon the specialist that only works with patients with [[breast diseases]] and [[breast cancer]]. A training period (clinical and research) of 6 to 8 years is typical and 8–10 years is not uncommon.