Is Surgical Oncology About Being a Jack of All Trades?

Recently, someone asked me, “How does a Surgical Oncologist operate on every part of the body? How is that even possible?” Well, I had to chuckle because there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding. Let me break it down: Surgical Oncologists are not superheroes who magically appear to operate on any organ we fancy. It’s not about hopping from one body part to another like a surgical version of a jack-of-all-trades. The real magic happens in tumor biology. We are not just in the business of cutting people open (though we’re pretty damn good at it!); we specialize in understanding how cancer behaves across different parts of the body. Think of us as cancer detectives—we know where the tumor is hiding and how it operates, so we know when to act and when to wait.

In a nutshell, Surgical Oncology isn’t about performing surgery just because we can. It’s about understanding cancer in depth—its biology, how it spreads, and how to treat it in the most effective way possible. We know when surgery will make a real difference and when it’s just a futile attempt that might cause more harm than good. It’s a delicate balance of science, strategy, and judgment—we’re like the chess players of the oncology world, always thinking several moves ahead to give our patients the best chance at survival and a better quality of life.

Now, while organ-based surgeons do operate on a variety of benign conditions (basically, they fix what’s broken), that’s where the mindset changes. Surgical Oncologists focus solely on cancer, which requires a different kind of thinking. Decision-making is at the heart of what we do. "Of course, you need technical skills," but the trickiest part is knowing all the options—what to do, in what order, and what to do when things don’t go as planned. It’s like solving a puzzle, but sometimes the pieces keep changing, and you’ve got to stay on your toes.

And, Surgical Oncology isn’t a solo act. We’re the team captains of a multidisciplinary team (MDT). Oncology is a team sport—one that requires input from various experts. We know when to ask for help from our colleague experts, whether it’s a cardiothoracic friend for lung cancer, a plastic surgeon for reconstructive surgery, or an ENT specialist for head and neck cancer. Our goal is always to provide the best care possible, and we’re not shy about working with the best in the field. We’re like the orchestra conductors, making sure every section is in sync for the perfect performance.

So, no, Surgical Oncology is not about running around doing surgery on every part of the body. It’s about being a specialist in cancer treatment, understanding it from all angles, and knowing the right approach for each patient. We make critical decisions, often in consultation with our expert colleagues from various specialities.

Here’s the big takeaway: Cancer doesn’t respect the boundaries of organs, and neither does Surgical Oncology. We’re not organ-based, we’re disease-based. That’s why we lead the fight against cancer, organising and guiding our team to make decisions that are always in the patient’s best interest.

I hope this clears up the confusion. Being a Surgical Oncologist is about so much more than performing surgery on every part of the body. It’s about being the front-runner in the battle against cancer, understanding it deeply, and knowing how to bring together the right expertise at the right time to achieve the best outcomes for our patients.