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  • Can the surgeon cure my cancer?
    The surgeon will remove the tumour and a surrounding area of normal tissue. It is not possible to say whether an operation will definitely cure a cancer. Although scans may look clear, cells could have broken away from the main tumour before surgery and spread to another part of the body. When these groups of cells are very small they do not always show up on a scan.

    Sometimes a surgeon will find during the operation that a cancer cannot be completely removed. Scans do not always give the true picture and surgeons will not always know the extent of the cancer until they operate.

  • How is the surgery carried out?
    It is important for the surgeon to obtain ‘clear margins'. This means a border of healthy tissue, with no cancer cells in it, should have been taken away from all around the tumour. The tissue that is removed during the operation will be examined under the microscope to make sure this has been done. It is important because a clear margin minimises the risk of any cancer cells being left behind and helps to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.

    Your surgeon will also often remove the lymph nodes that are nearest to your tumour. This is done because this is where cancer cells are most likely to spread to. A pathologist (translation in brackets), who is a doctor that specialises in diagnosing disease by examining tissues under a microscope, will test to see whether the lymph nodes contain cancer cells. If they do, there may be an increased risk of the cancer coming back in the future and you may need more treatment after your operation.

  • Before your operation
    Your surgeon and anaesthetist are responsible for your well-being during and after your surgery. The surgeon is the person who performs the operation. The anaesthetist is the person who makes sure you are asleep during the operation. They must be sure you are fit enough to undergo the operation. You may have tests such as a chest x-ray and electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess your lungs and heart. How well your kidneys are working may be checked with blood tests if you are likely to have a long operation, as this may put strain on the kidneys.

    If you are not thought to be fit enough for a general anaesthetic, it may still be possible for you to have surgery. Some operations can be done under local anaesthetic or epidural (spinal anaesthetic). If these techniques are used, you will be awake during the operation.

    It is important that you understand all about your operation. You should be given an opportunity to discuss the operation with the surgeon. When you speak to the surgeon, it is a good idea to take someone with you who speaks both English and your language. You can also ask for an interpreter to be present to help you understand. You will need to sign a consent form to say that you agree to the operation. Consent forms should be available written in your language. No operation will be done without your consent.

    For safety reasons you will be asked to remove any jewellery or metal objects before going to the operating theatre for the operation. Under some circumstances it may be possible for you to continue to wear your jewellery throughout the operation. If you have to remove any items, you should usually be able to wear them again soon after the operation.

    Before any operation you will be asked not to eat or drink anything for a few hours.

    You may also need to bathe and shave body hair from the area of the operation. The nurse looking after you will give you more details about this. Body hair is only shaved if it is essential. It is done using a disposable razor. The hair will begin to grow back after the operation. The nurse looking after you will give you more details about this.

    Some people like to speak to the religious leaders of their community before an operation. Most hospitals can arrange this for you. If you would like to speak to someone, let the nurse know.

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