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Surgical oncology is the branch of surgery applied to oncology; it focuses on the surgical management of tumors and cancers.

As one of several modalities in the management of cancer, the specialty of surgical oncology focuses on multimodality therapy of cancers, and has historically capitalized on the only cancer treatment with a chance of cure, and evolved prior to the disciplines of medical oncology (pharmacotherapy for cancer), which grew out of hematology, and radiation oncology, which grew out of radiology. In 1940, the James Ewing Society, known today as the Society of Surgical Oncology, was started by surgeons with a focused interest in oncology. In 2012, the American Board of Surgery initiated additional specialty board certification for Complex General Surgical Oncology. With increasing complexity in the timing of surgical therapy along with with use chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted biologic treatments, impetus towards formalizing education and training of surgical oncologists has led to an ACGME-approved fellowship pathway for postgraduate training of surgeons. The proliferation of cancer centers will continue to popularize the field, as will developments in minimally invasive techniques, palliative surgery, and neoadjuvant treatment strategies.

Training

The importance of training surgeons who sub-specialize in cancer surgery lies in evidence that outcomes in surgical cancer care are positively associated to surgeon volume. This is particularly true of complex cancer resections such as 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. A training period (clinical and research) of 9–12 years is not uncommon.

Books

A large number of publications in surgical oncology are also appearing. The majority are large reference textbooks that seemingly combine specialties that are not generally practiced by a single practitioner but cover the academic subject. A number of practical handbooks such as "surgical oncology" in the well read Oxford Handbooks series, have recently been published, perhaps alluding to the evolving practicality of this emerging discipline.

References

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-'''Surgical oncology''' is the branch of [[surgery]] applied to [[oncology]]; it focuses on the surgical management of [[neoplasm|tumors]], especially [[cancer]]ous tumors.
+'''Surgical oncology''' is the branch of [[surgery]] applied to [[oncology]]; it focuses on the surgical management of [[neoplasm|tumors]] and [[cancer]]s.
-As one of several modalities in the [[management of cancer]], the specialty of surgical oncology, before modern medicine the only cancer treatment with a chance of success, has evolved in steps similar to [[medical oncology]] ([[pharmacotherapy]] for cancer), which grew out of [[hematology]], and [[radiation oncology]], which grew out of [[radiology]]. The Ewing Society known today as the Society of Surgical Oncology was started by surgeons interested in promoting the field of oncology. Though it has not been ratified by a specialty Board certification, the area of expertise is coming to its own by the success of combined treatment with [[chemotherapy]], [[radiotherapy]], and targeted biologic treatments. The proliferation of cancer centers will continue to popularize the field, as will developments in minimally invasive techniques, [[palliative surgery]], and neo-adjuvant treatments.
+As one of several modalities in the [[management of cancer]], the specialty of surgical oncology focuses on multimodality therapy of cancers, and has historically capitalized on the only cancer treatment with a chance of cure, and evolved prior to the disciplines of [[medical oncology]] ([[pharmacotherapy]] for cancer), which grew out of [[hematology]], and [[radiation oncology]], which grew out of [[radiology]]. In 1940, the James Ewing Society, known today as the Society of Surgical Oncology, was started by surgeons with a focused interest in  oncology. In 2012, the American Board of Surgery initiated additional specialty board certification for Complex General Surgical Oncology. With increasing complexity in the timing of surgical therapy along with with use [[chemotherapy]], [[radiotherapy]], and targeted biologic treatments, impetus towards formalizing education and training of surgical oncologists has led to an ACGME-approved fellowship pathway for postgraduate training of surgeons. The proliferation of cancer centers will continue to popularize the field, as will developments in minimally invasive techniques, [[palliative surgery]], and neoadjuvant treatment strategies.
-==Debate==
-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.{{citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=November 2014}}  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.{{citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=November 2014}}  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.{{citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=November 2014}}
-Most often, ''surgical oncologist'' refers to a general surgical oncologist (a subspecialty of [[general surgery]]), but thoracic surgical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists and so forth can all be considered surgeons who specialize in treating cancer patients.
 ==Training==
-The importance of training surgeons who sub-specialize in cancer surgery lies in evidence, supported by a number of [[clinical trials]]{{citation needed|reason=Your explanation here|date=November 2014}}, 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 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 [[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. A training period (clinical and research) of 6 to 8 years is typical and 8–10 years is not uncommon.
+The importance of training surgeons who sub-specialize in cancer surgery lies in evidence that outcomes in surgical cancer care are positively associated to surgeon volume.  This is particularly true of complex cancer resections such as [[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. A training period (clinical and research) of 9–12 years is not uncommon.
 ==Books==

Revision as of 00:09, 16 September 2015

Training

Books

References

External links