Overview
Surgery may be used to diagnose, treat or manage cancer. It is done by a surgeon or surgical oncologist, usually in a hospital.
The operations for cancer can be large or small. Usually, the aim is to remove cancer from the body or repair a part of the body affected by cancer. It can also relieve symptoms or improve how other treatments work.
A cancer diagnosis can be a shock. Find helpful information in Just diagnosed, or call Cancer Connect on 13 11 20 to talk it through with our qualified professionals.
Key questions
About cancer surgery
Understand when surgery is used to diagnose or treat cancer and how it works with other treatments.
Common questions about cancer surgery
Find out more about how surgery is done and who will be involved in your care.
Questions to ask your doctor
It can be a good idea to prepare a list of questions before your appointments. See our list of questions about surgery.
Key steps
Types of surgery
Learn more about different kinds of surgery, including biopsy, staging surgery, wide excision, resection and lymph node dissection.
Planning and preparation for surgery
Before surgery, you will meet your team to plan the procedure. They will give you instructions about eating, medicines and consent. You may have tests to check your health.
The day of the surgery
Learn more about what will happen when you arrive at the hospital, what type of anaesthetic you may have, and what happens during surgery.
Recovery after surgery
Recovery time depends on the type of operation. You may have pain, tiredness or other side effects at first. Learn what to expect when you go home and how rehabilitation can help.
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