Surgery is a common treatment for cancer, especially for solid tumors. Surgery may be your only treatment, or it may be combined with other treatments such as radiation therapy or cancer drugs.
Surgical oncologists at Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida are skilled in the latest cancer surgery techniques – including minimally invasive procedures – giving you access to the most sophisticated options available. They are knowledgeable in the diagnosis and treatment of both common and complicated tumors and work closely with the rest of your cancer care team so you receive the most effective treatment for your specific condition.
Types of Cancer Surgery
Your doctors could recommend surgery to treat your cancer, or they could suggest it for another reason. Types of cancer surgery include:
- Diagnostic surgery. This may be used to help diagnose cancer through biopsy or determine the stage or extent of the disease.
- Curative surgery. This removes all cancerous tissue. It is the first-line treatment for many cancers, especially if the cancer hasn’t spread.
- Debulking surgery. This removes some but not all of the cancer and is usually combined with radiation therapy, chemotherapy or other treatments.
- Palliative surgery. This improves your quality of life by easing the pain or discomfort caused by a tumor.
- Reconstructive surgery. This improves the way patients look after major cancer surgery or restores the function of an organ or body part after surgery.
- Robotic Prostatectomy. Minimally-invasive procedure to remove the prostate gland in men with prostate cancer.
- Preventive surgery. This may be performed to remove body tissue that is likely to become cancerous even though there are no signs of cancer at the time of surgery.
Your care team tells you what to expect before surgery so you are informed. You may need to undergo tests or follow other instructions from your surgeon before your procedure. We will guide you through it all and answer any questions you may have.
Your follow-up care and recovery time depend on the type of cancer you have and the type of surgery performed. Your care team at Miami Cancer Institute includes specialists who provide personalized postoperative care to help you heal after surgery.
Robotic Surgery
Your doctors at the Institute could suggest robotic surgery to treat your cancer. Miami Cancer Institute has one of the largest robotic surgery programs in Florida.
Robotic surgery (or robot-assisted surgery) uses a camera, a computer, and very small surgical tools that are attached to robotic arms. This special equipment helps surgeons access tumors in tight spaces through small incisions with greater precision.
Compared to open and traditional laparoscopic surgeries, robotic surgery results in more precise removal of diseased tissue, less blood loss, minimal scarring, less risk of infection, a shorter hospital stay and a faster return to normal activities.
During robotic surgery, your surgeon watches a magnified, three-dimensional view of the inside of your body on a computer monitor and uses controls to maneuver four robotic arms in real time. Robotic surgery helps your surgeon operate in hard-to-reach areas and can be used to treat many cancers, including:
Our surgical oncologists perform robotic surgery using the da Vinci Surgical System. They have advanced knowledge of this system and have used it to pioneer new robotic surgery techniques to improve patient outcomes.
