Surgical oncology

Surgical oncology is the branch of surgery applied to oncology; it focuses on the surgical management of tumors, especially cancerous tumors.

As one of several modalities in the management of cancer, the specialty of surgical oncology has evolved in steps similar to medical oncology (pharmacotherapy for cancer), which grew out of hematology, and radiation oncology, which grew out of radiology. The Ewing Society—known today as the Society of Surgical Oncology—was started by surgeons interested in promoting the field of oncology. In 2011, the American Board of Surgery ratified Complex General Surgical Oncology via a specialty Board certification.^[1] The field was expected to continue expanding via the proliferation of cancer centers, as well as advanced minimally invasive techniques, palliative surgery, and neo-adjuvant treatments.