Oncological surgery (= tumor surgery)

Tumors or cancer can in principle affect any organ or any tissue structure, occur more frequently in different incidences or in different ages and generally increase in frequency due to various factors.

There are a number of theories and, in many cases, very precise findings as to why tumor diseases develop. The immune system, the genetic material (DNA; familial accumulation) and changes in the DNA (mutation) due to certain circumstances and influences play decisive roles. Increasingly older age, higher environmental pollution and, above all, diet are important factors in the development of cancer. Regular preventive examinations and the associated early detection or even avoidance of tumor diseases by eliminating precancerous stages can save lives. The increasing acceptance of the population with regard to preventive examinations compensates for the higher tumor development rate. Earlier forms and thus more treatable tumor stages are found. This reduces the tumor-related incidence and mortality rate.

There is no causal therapy for cancer (yet). If cancer is found in the course of an examination, further diagnostics must be carried out immediately and without delay in order to determine the extent of the disease and to initiate an optimal therapy appropriate to the stage. The strategy for this is defined in a so-called tumor board.

The therapy of cancer takes place very roughly with drugs (chemotherapy, hormonal, antibody therapy), by radiation, surgically by removing the tumor or by a combination of the three previously mentioned therapy options.