Surgeons operate on different types of systems of the body for the purposes of removing the causes of diseases and problems in the body of the patient.
Some of the most common problems in the body a surgeon fixes are the repairing of broken bones and the removal of tumors.
In this article, we will specifically discuss tumors and what type of surgeon operates on them.
What are Tumors?
First and foremost, what are tumors? Tumors are masses of tissue that clumped up together due to the abnormal production of the cells in the body or in the specific site where the tumor has occurred which gives the surface a swollen look.
Tumors are also defined as cancer or malignancy due to the abnormality rate of the cells production and it has the possibility of spreading further to different parts of the body which could make the condition of a person worse if it is left untreated. However, in some instances, some tumors are not considered as cancerous but it is still recommended to have it checked by a doctor to confirm and still be excised to avoid the possibilities or chances of it becoming cancerous.
The formation of tumors happens depending on a person’s lifestyle. Here are the following factors or situations that trigger the growth of occurrence of a tumor:
- Exposure to chemicals or toxic materials. If a person is heavily exposed to strong chemicals that could dry up the brain such as rugby or bathroom cleaners, they make themselves high at risk for a tumor to grow in their body.
- Excessive alcohol intake. If a person has a habit of constantly being under the influence of alcohol or have alcohol abuse, chances are, a formation of a tumor could happen to them.
- Natural toxins. Yes, nature can also be one of the causes of a tumor in a person’s body such as mushrooms that are poisonous or black molds that form in the surfaces of the house, once its spores spread in the air and the person inhaled it, they will suffer the consequences such as diseases that could be fatal.
- Exposure to radiation for long periods of time. It is no question that every person in the current generation or time is extremely exposed to radiation due to the usage of gadgets such as phones, laptops, and computers.
- Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light (UV). When going outside, some people tend to forget about using protection against the sun because some people think that it is a source of vitamin D, yes, it is true, however, during the midday sun, when it is at its highest, the sunlight can be harsh and could cause skin cancer which is why it is necessary for people to wear sunscreen and other shields from the sun such as sunglasses.
Where Does a Tumor Normally Occur?
Tumors are not selective in which place or site of the body they choose to grow most notoriously. They grow almost everywhere in the body and these are some of the following examples of tumors:
- Brain tumor
Tumors occur in the brain due to the rapid and abnormal speed of growth of the cells inside the brain.
- Carcinoma
This type of cancer occurs in the largest organ of the body which is the skin. This is caused by too much exposure to the sun or it could also be acquired from artificial ultraviolet rays such as tanning in tanning beds.
- Sarcoma
Another kind of tumor in this list is a tumor the occurs in the bone which is called sarcoma or in other tissues of the body such as the fats, cartilage, blood vessels, and muscles.
- Lymphoma
Lymphoma is what cancer in the lymphatic system is called. The lymphatic is composed of the lymph nodes, thymus gland, spleen, and bone marrow, basically, the lymphatic system is the network of our body that is responsible for fighting germs.
What Surgeons Operate on the Tumors?
Some tumors are not dangerous or they can actually be life-threatening, either way, tumors disrupt a person’s everyday life due to it being a nuisance and has a negative effect on a person’s life and health such as constant and severe headaches, seizures which can be fatal, personality changes as well as memory loss or change of interpretation of memory, fatigue or being overly exhausted, and nausea.
Tumors are thieves of a great life but thankfully, they can be excised.
A surgeon who is responsible for treating cancers or tumors is called an oncologist and there are actually different types of oncologists.
The first one is called medical oncologists, which are responsible for providing the medication and treatment of patients with tumors such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
For cancer treatment that involves radiation, a radiation oncologist is responsible for that. Radiation oncologists use radioactive treatments such as x-rays and other particles in order to eradicate cells that cause cancer in the body.
A surgeon who is responsible for the removal of the sites of cancers or tumors is called a surgical oncologist. Surgical oncologists are those types of surgeons who study oncology in order to determine, assess, stage the level of cancer, and extracting the tumor through a surgical process.
Surgical oncologists perform biopsies on their patients, first, to further study the cancer cell and once it is confirmed that the extracted cell was indeed a cancer cell of a tumor, surgical oncologists would then perform a surgery to remove the tumor of the patient.
Surgical oncologists also perform preventive surgery, which basically means that they perform surgeries that focus on removing a person’s precancerous tissue or some specific tissues in order to avoid it transforming into cancer cells or cancer tissues. This procedure decreases the risk of a patient having any tumors grow inside their body. Preventive surgery is mostly performed on patients who have a family history of having tumors or who might have close relatives who were diagnosed with having dormant cancer cells which will be activated by lifestyle or at a certain age.
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-a-surgical-oncologist
https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/cancer-basics/cancer-care-team/types-oncologists
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/guide/understanding-cancer-basics