We therefore understand that surgery is just one step in the diagnosis and/or the treatment of cancer. Both before and after the surgical intervention, the surgeon must work in collaboration with other medical disciplines (general and oncological medicine, medical imaging, histopathology...) in order to respond to vital questions: What are we fighting against (type of cancer, recurring cancer) ? How has it progressed (localised or generalised cancer) ? How aggressive is it (determine whether the cancer will recur/metastasise) ?
All these important steps are aimed at determining the best treatment and therefore the best prognosis for the dog or the cat. Thus, the treatment must not only take into account the tumour but the patient overall, including the owners !
The options that can be considered must be discussed with the persons who are close to the animal on a day-to-day basis: is the treatment palliative or curative ? What will the consequences for the animal be (side effects and complications) ? Could complications delay the auxiliary treatments (chemotherapy or radiotherapy) ? What is the expected budget ? These questions are covered during the pre-surgical consultation.
Poorly planned surgery could have dramatic consequences for the patient. A poor indication may increase surgical complications, promote incomplete excision and tumour recurrence.
Finally, oncological surgery involves specific postoperative management.
At the end of the intervention, care related to the condition of the animal with cancer is applied. This may include pain management, nutritional requirements, rehabilitation, and the discussion of histological results: is the excision complete? Is a repeat intervention required? When will the complementary treatments begin?
In conclusion, oncological surgery remains an important step in the treatment of cancer and must be carried out according to the rules for the well-being of the patient in order to achieve the best possible prognosis. It implies positive indications as well as global patient management using a multidisciplinary approach.