Surgery for Women with Cancer: Overview
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With cancer there can be several different reasons why you need surgery. Sometimes surgery is used for diagnosis. Sometimes it’s the right treatment option. With certain kinds of cancer, surgery is needed for reconstruction purposes.
Before you have surgery, you need to talk about it with your doctor. Ask the doctor to explain why surgery is needed. Ask what benefits you can expect and what will happen during the surgery. The doctor should also explain to you:
- other possible treatments
- what recovery will be like
- how long recovery might take
- the possible long-term risks, such as disability
Weighing Benefits Against Risk
Your doctor will or won’t recommend surgery based on
- your diagnosis
- other treatments that are available
- the amount of reconstruction that might be needed
If the doctor does recommend surgery, be sure the doctor explains the expected benefits. Then the doctor should tell you what the risks are. That way, you can make your decision based on whether the benefits are greater than the risks.
Alternatives to Surgery
If there are other treatment options, your doctor should list and explain them to you. It’s important that you understand the differences between the surgery and other options. If there is something you don’t understand, ask the doctor for more explanation. Ask the doctor to explain why the other options might or might not be recommended.
Recovery
You need to ask how long it might take for you to recover from the surgery. Ask how long you might need to be in the hospital. Also ask how long you might be on disability. Other things you need to know include:
- what activities you should avoid during your recovery
- whether you’ll need help during recovery
- what kind of help you might need, such as a skilled nursing facility, assistance from a loved one or home nurse, or physical rehabilitation
Risks
It’s also very important to talk to your doctor about any possible complications that may happen during your surgery. Your doctor should tell you about some of the common inconveniences and discomforts you may experience. Your doctor should also explain the less common but potentially serious problems you could have because of surgery. You also need to understand that with certain surgeries, there can be unforeseen risks.
