MINIMALLY INVASIVE OPTIONS
“Our goal is to match the intervention to the specific needs of each patient,” Dr. See said. Critical issues include tumor size and location, the patient’s past surgical history, and his or her current health. “In many cases, a minimally invasive approach is perfect.” In other cases, open surgery is required.
The key to the best outcomes is unbiased access to all potential therapies. Prostate cancer patients, for example, should work with a team that offers open and robotic prostatectomy, as well as non-surgical treatments such as radiation therapy or radiation plus chemotherapy.
“At the Clinical Cancer Center, our team-based approach allows us to match patient needs to the available portfolio of therapeutic interventions – whether it is minimally invasive surgery, open surgery, drug or hormone therapy, radiation or an interventional radiology treatment,” Dr. See said.
The Goal The da Vinci Robotic Surgical System® combines
laparoscopic instrumentation with improved visualization and precise robotic movements.
Minimally invasive therapy is not appropriate for everyone, but its availability assures patients they’ll be offered the best, most current approach for their cancer. In the end, the aim of all cancer care – whether standard or minimally invasive – is to provide patients with the greatest chance of a cure with the least burden of therapy. “It’s a custom-fit process,” Dr. See said. “Our goal is to provide the right intervention, at the right time, to the right patient.” n
Colon Cancer: Most in U.S. Miss Out on Minimally Invasive Option
“The vast majority of patients with colon cancer can be treated laparoscopically,” said Kirk Ludwig, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin colorectal surgeon and chief of Colorectal Surgery. “However, nationwide, less than 20 percent of colon cancer patients are offered a minimally invasive option.”
Clinical studies show laparoscopic colon surgery is equal to traditional open surgery in controlling cancer. “Here at the Clinical Cancer Center, almost all our colon cancer patients receive a minimally invasive procedure,” Dr. Ludwig said. “The benefits are clear in terms of shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery and fewer complications.”
Rectal cancers are more difficult to treat using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques, but some patients are good candidates for this approach. According to Dr. Ludwig, while many tumors in the rectum can be treated laparoscopically, recommendations as to which approach is best are individualized based on the patient’s anatomy and the exact location of the tumor.
Kirk Ludwig, MD
A small number of rectal cancer patients are candidates for an even less invasive approach. “About 5 to 10 percent of rectal tumors can be treated using transanal techniques,” Dr. Ludwig said. “These procedures are performed through the anus, so there is no pain, and little, if any recovery time. Eligibility depends on tumor type, size and staging. In some cases, radiation and chemotherapy can shrink rectal tumors so they can be taken out transanally.”
WhAT’S NExT: Robotic Surgery for Rectal Cancers
“The major change on the horizon is our use of robotic techniques to treat rectal tumors,” Dr. Ludwig said. “Robotic technology allows for more precise surgery in a very small space, which may facilitate surgery in the depths of the pelvis.”
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Clinical Cancer Center
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