The treatment of cancer depends on the site of the cancer, as well as the organ involved. A majority of cancers require some type of surgery. As surgical techniques advance, the surgical procedures for cancer are becoming less invasive, allowing patients faster recovery. For many cancers, surgery offers the best chance for a cure, especially when the cancer remains localized, not yet having spread to other parts of the body.

 
There are many types of cancer surgeries. Preventive surgery removes non-malignant tissue that is in danger of becoming cancerous in the future. Diagnostic surgery involves removing samples of tissue to identify the cancer and make a diagnosis. Often, the diagnosis of cancer can only be confirmed by analyzing the suspicious tissue under a microscope. These samples can also be used to stage the cancer — determining the extent of the disease. Curative surgery is used to remove or destroy the cancer. It is often used in combination with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Palliative surgery is used to treat complications and relieve the discomfort of advanced cancer, when it cannot be cured. Reconstructive surgery rebuilds areas of the body that are damaged or destroyed by the primary surgery.

In addition to cutting tissue away with a scalpel, there are new surgical techniques being employed. These include using lasers to kill cells, cryotherapy to freeze and kill cancer cells, and electrotherapy to destroy cancer cells using high-frequency electrical currents.