General information about cancer surgery and how a review with a surgical oncologist at a partner clinic is coordinated, always as part of a multidisciplinary plan.
Important
This is general information, not medical advice. Cancer care decisions must be made with your treating oncologist. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services.
ELAVIA Global coordinates care; it does not provide medical treatment. All cancer care is delivered by independent partner clinics and their licensed oncologists.
A second opinion is an additional view, not a replacement for your current care. Please do not stop, delay or change any treatment without speaking to your treating team.
Surgical oncology is the use of surgery to diagnose, stage or remove cancer. Depending on the situation, an operation may aim to remove a tumour with a margin of healthy tissue, check or remove nearby lymph nodes, relieve symptoms, or reconstruct after removal. Some operations are done through small incisions (laparoscopic or robot-assisted surgery), others through an open approach.
Surgery is often one part of a wider plan that may also include chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other treatment before or after the operation. The order of treatment and the type of operation are usually agreed by a multidisciplinary tumour board.
Whether surgery is appropriate, and which operation and approach, depends on the type and stage of the cancer, scan and pathology findings, and your general health and fitness for anaesthesia. Those decisions are made by the surgical and oncology team after assessment.
You contact a coordinator and describe what you would like reviewed. We explain what we can and cannot do: ELAVIA Global coordinates care and does not give medical advice or treatment.
With your consent, your reports, imaging and pathology are shared securely with an oncologist at an independent partner clinic. Original scan files or pathology slides may need to be re-reviewed, or some tests repeated.
The surgical oncologist reviews the case, usually with the wider oncology team, and explains whether surgery is advised, what it would involve, the likely hospital stay and the risks. Further tests or an anaesthetic assessment may be needed.
If you decide to proceed at a partner clinic, the operation is carried out by its licensed surgical and anaesthesia team. The final pathology report from the operation guides any further treatment.
You receive written reports to take home. Ongoing follow-up is usually arranged with your oncologist at home, and the coordinator helps share records between the teams.
These are general examples only. Whether any test or treatment is appropriate is decided by a treating oncologist after examination, imaging and pathology review.
Send copies and keep your originals. The reviewing team may ask for further records, or for some tests to be repeated.
Cost depends on the diagnosis and treatment plan and is confirmed in a written quote after consultation.
It depends on the operation and your recovery. Some operations need a few nights in hospital; larger ones need longer, plus time before it is safe to fly. The surgeon gives you a personal estimate after assessment.
Not always. The most suitable approach depends on the cancer, its location, your anatomy and the surgeon’s assessment. Ask the surgeon to explain why an approach is recommended for you.
The removed tissue is examined by a pathologist, and the results help the team decide whether further treatment is advised. Follow-up usually continues with your oncologist at home.
All surgery carries risks, including bleeding, infection, blood clots and reactions to anaesthesia, as well as risks specific to the operation. The surgeon discusses these with you before you give consent.
Share your records and questions. A coordinator explains how a review with a partner oncologist can be arranged. There is no obligation to proceed, and your current care continues as planned.
This is general information, not medical advice. Cancer care decisions must be made with your treating oncologist. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services. ELAVIA Global coordinates care; it does not provide medical treatment. All cancer care is delivered by independent partner clinics and their licensed oncologists.