What is the purpose of surgical excision in cancer treatment?

Surgical excision plays a crucial role in cancer treatment primarily aimed at removing tumors or metastatic sites from the body. The goal of this intervention is to eliminate cancerous tissues, which can potentially cure the patient or at least significantly reduce the tumor burden. By excising the tumor, the surgery can also prevent the spread of cancer to surrounding tissues or other organs, thus addressing the primary threat posed by the disease.

In addition to offering a chance for curative treatment in localized tumors, surgical excision can also facilitate accurate staging of the cancer, which is vital for determining prognosis and the subsequent treatment plan. It may enhance the effectiveness of adjuvant therapies by reducing the overall disease load that needs to be addressed with radiation or chemotherapy.

Other options, like diagnosing the cancer, while sometimes aided by biopsies during surgical procedures, are not the primary purpose associated with surgical excision. Similarly, monitoring tumor growth typically involves imaging studies rather than surgical intervention, and while reducing pain and discomfort can be an ancillary benefit of surgical excision, it is not the main intent of the procedure. The predominant purpose of surgical excision remains the removal of tumors or metastasis to improve patient outcomes.