After your surgery
Information about operations for specific types of cancer is available in the CancerBACUP booklets about individual types of cancer. These booklets are only available in English. The recovery period will vary depending on the extent of the surgery.
You may have some pain after surgery but will be given painkillers to minimise this. Good pain control will help you to get up and about as soon as possible. You may also feel sick and should be given anti-sickness drugs to help control this. If you still have pain or feel sick, tell the nurse looking after you.
You should be able to get up and about fairly soon after your operation and the ward staff will help you. Moving around will help you to recover more quickly and help to reduce the risk of complications. Breathing and leg exercises can also help reduce the risk of chest infections and blood clots. Your nurse or physiotherapist will teach you these exercises.
You may be given antibiotics to help prevent wound infection. Depending on the type of operation, you may have tubes placed into the wound to drain away fluid. The amount of fluid draining usually reduces quite quickly often within days.
In the first few days after your operation you may need some help to wash and go to the toilet. Speak to your nurse if you would prefer to be helped by a nurse of the same sex. Once you are moving about again freely, you will probably be able to manage these activities for yourself.
Longer-term complications
Most people do not have long-term complications after cancer surgery. However, some do and before you have surgery you may wish to ask your surgeon about the risk of permanent complications.
Occasionally patients may have nerve pain, which is more common after some operations such as the opening of the rib cage (thoracotomy).
Some operations can occasionally cause permanent side effects due to nerve damage. Removal of the prostate gland (radical prostatectomy), for example, can result in impotence and loss of bladder control in some people because the nerves controlling these functions may have to be removed to clear the cancer.
Impotence may also sometimes occur after operations for cancers in the lower part of the bowel (rectum).
Occasionally, if most, or all, of the glands in an area of the body have had to be removed, and particularly if you have had radiotherapy to that area as well, you may get swelling of limbs or the trunk. This is known as lymphoedema. The lymph nodes are the drainage system of the lymphatic system, so removing lymph nodes can cause fluid build-up. It is most likely to affect an arm or leg, although it can happen to other parts of the body, such as the trunk. The earlier lymphoedema is picked up, the easier it is to control. So always contact your doctor if you notice swelling in your hands (after surgery to the armpit) or feet (after groin surgery).
Some operations will change the way your body looks. This may affect the way you feel about yourself physically and emotionally. Please talk to the nurses or your doctor if you have any concerns. They should be able to help you or arrange for you to see a counsellor. You can also call the nurses at CancerBACUP.
It is natural to be anxious about surgical operations. However, surgery can be one of the most successful treatments for cancer. Nowadays these operations are usually carried out by surgeons with a great deal of experience in treating the particular type of cancer. This gives the best chance of a good outcome. For some conditions, such as cancer of the breast or bowel, there may be specialist nurses looking after you too. They also have a great deal of experience in the particular type of cancer. The nurse or surgeon will explain to you before the operation what scarring and other effects are likely, and what procedures will be followed to make sure you get the best possible care.
