The curative surgery aims to remove the tumor while respecting a margin of safety device and, as appropriate, nearby lymph nodes (that is to say, the lymph draining the area or organ operated).
The margin of safety is supposed to sound the part that surrounds the tumor and which is then analyzed to verify the absence or presence of cancer cells.
If after analysis, the margin is positive, that is to say, it contains cancerous cells, the patient is sometimes operated again to remove that part of tissue.
The size of the margin of safety varies by cancer type and location of the tumor.
The curative surgery can be radical or conservative

  • It is called radical if the body containing the tumor is removed in its entirety.
  • Wherever possible and consistent with the stage of the tumor, surgeons try to preserve organ function and / or body image by making interventions called conservative.




In this case, the surgeon performs the partial removal of the organ or area of operation.
Sometimes this is made possible by completing the surgical procedure with other treatments.
The goal of treatment is to find the right balance between a good local control of disease (ie removing all the tissue affected by the tumor or cancer cells) and quality of life preserved for the patient.
The decision must be discussed between the patient and the surgeon before the operation.


When the choice may depend on the findings made during surgery, the options are explained preoperative to the patient by the surgeon, who decides which is needed during surgery.
In the case of local recurrence (that is when tumor cells grow again at the area initially made), surgery with curative intent may again be considered.
The time that elapsed between the first intervention and the occurrence of relapse is an important criterion for deciding whether to perform a second operation.
Speakers also the type of treatment that were first used, especially radiotherapy may make impossible any further surgery.

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