Surgical Oncology Research Paper

Surgical Oncology is the practice of using surgery in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cancer and cancer-related symptoms. Treating cancer surgically can be dated back as far as 1700 B.C. (4). These were obviously not the most advanced procedures, but surgical oncology did not see much advancement until the 18th century when John Hunter stressed the importance of complete tumor removal to avoid cancer spreading into the lymphatic system. Surgery saw its next major advancement in 1842 with the development of general anesthesia (4). Procedures were now capable of being longer and more invasive. Around the mid twentieth century, the use and continued advancement of radiation and chemotherapy began to threaten the role of surgery in
A student wanting to become a surgical oncologist would first need to complete at least a bachelor’s degree, have taken the MCAT, and have taken all the necessary prerequisite courses in order to get into medical school. The next step is to actually get into and complete medical school, preferably one that has a surgical program (1). Schools in Louisiana include Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, and Shreveport School of Medicine. The top five medical schools in the country for students hoping to specialize in surgery are John Hopkins School of Medicine, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Emory University School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Northwestern University (2). Upon completion of medical school, the student will need to complete a general surgical residency, which will last five years. In order to be qualified as a surgical oncologist, the student will then need to complete a surgical oncology fellowship, which could last two to three years (1). The student would now be a surgical oncologist but, as with any doctor, will need continuing education credits throughout their career in order to keep up with the ever-changing world of