Palliative surgery
Palliative surgery in cancer is the surgical procedure performed to relieve symptoms and improve a patient’s quality of life where cure is not possible. The objective of palliative surgery is not to eliminate the cancer but to manage symptoms like pain, obstruction, bleeding, or difficulty breathing caused by advanced cancer
Key goals of palliative surgery
➔Improve quality of life, by helping patients feel more comfortable and have fewer symptoms.
➔Control symptoms caused by the tumor, such as pain, bleeding, or obstruction.
Examples of symptom relief:
➔Draining fluid buildup (ascites or pleural effusions)
➔Relieving an intestinal obstruction
➔Inserting a stent to open a blocked airway
➔Controlling active or recurrent bleeding
➔Decompressing a spinal cord to preserve mobility
When it is considered
➔When a patient has an advanced stage of cancer and is incurable.
➔When non-surgical treatments, like medication, do not provide adequate relief from symptoms.
➔When the symptoms are significantly impacting the patient’s daily life
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