Surgical Oncology
At Summit Health, our surgical oncology team offers expert, compassionate care from your first consultation through recovery.
Overview
A cancer diagnosis can bring up many questions about what comes next. At Summit Health, our surgical oncology team helps you find answers. We offer expert, compassionate care from your first consultation through recovery.
Expert cancer surgery, centered on you
Surgical oncology is the branch of medicine that uses surgery to diagnose, evaluate, and treat cancer. Our board-certified surgical oncologists have specialized training in removing tumors and cancerous tissue while protecting the healthy function of your body.
Every person and every cancer is different. That's why we take time to understand your diagnosis, your health history, and your goals. Then we build a treatment plan designed around you. We explain each step clearly, answer your questions, and include your loved ones in the conversation whenever you'd like.
A team approach to cancer care
The most effective cancer treatment often combines more than one specialty. Our surgical oncologists work closely with Summit Health's medical oncologists and radiation oncologists to coordinate your care. This team approach means:
- A complete treatment plan. Specialists review your case together to recommend the best combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or other therapies.
- Seamless coordination. Your care team shares information, so you don't have to manage appointments and records on your own.
- Support at every stage. From diagnosis and surgery to follow-up care, you'll have a team on your side.
Minimally invasive cancer treatment
Whenever possible, our surgeons use minimally invasive techniques, such as laparoscopy, to evaluate and treat tumors. Compared to traditional open surgery, minimally invasive cancer treatment uses smaller incisions. For many patients, this can mean less pain, a shorter hospital stay, smaller scars, and a faster return to daily life.
Our goal is simple: remove as much of the cancer as possible while preserving the healthy tissue and functions you rely on.
Conditions and procedures
Our surgical oncologists provide surgical treatment for a wide range of cancers, including:
- Gastrointestinal tumors. Cancers of the digestive tract, such as the stomach, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, and small intestine.
- Soft tissue tumors. Tumors that develop in muscle, fat, nerves, blood vessels, and other connective tissues, including sarcomas.
- Skin cancers. Melanoma and other skin cancers that require surgical removal.
- Breast cancers. Surgical options to remove breast tumors and evaluate nearby lymph nodes.
- Endocrine tumors. Tumors of hormone-producing glands, such as the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands.
Procedures we offer
Your surgical oncologist will recommend the procedure that best fits your diagnosis and overall health. Our services include:
- Laparoscopy. A minimally invasive procedure that uses a thin camera and small instruments inserted through tiny incisions. Laparoscopy can help us examine organs, take tissue samples, and remove tumors.
- Tumor removal (resection). Surgery to remove a tumor along with a small margin of surrounding healthy tissue, helping lower the chance that cancer will return.
- Minimally invasive surgery. Advanced techniques that reduce trauma to the body and support a smoother recovery.
- Biopsy and diagnostic surgery. Procedures that remove tissue samples to confirm a diagnosis and guide your treatment plan.
- Lymph node evaluation. Surgery to check whether cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes.
Our specialists
C. Randall Cooper, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Kevin Holzman, MD, FACS
Oncology nutrition, healthy survivorship
Learn more about post treatment nutrition for healthy survivorship from Summit Health’s Christina Lavner, RDN.
Patient resources
Frequently Asked Questions
A surgical oncologist is a surgeon with specialized training in treating cancer through surgery. They perform procedures to diagnose cancer, remove tumors, and determine whether cancer has spread. Surgical oncologists also work closely with medical and radiation oncologists to create a complete treatment plan.
Our team treats many types of cancer, including gastrointestinal tumors, soft tissue tumors, skin cancers, breast cancers, and endocrine tumors. If you have questions about a specific diagnosis, our specialists can review your case and discuss your options.
No. Surgery is one of several ways to treat cancer. Depending on the type, location, and stage of your cancer, your care team may recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or a combination of treatments. In some cases, these treatments are used before surgery to shrink a tumor. Your care team will help you understand which approach is right for you.
Minimally invasive cancer surgery uses small incisions, a tiny camera, and specialized instruments instead of one large incision. Laparoscopy is one common example. For many patients, this approach can lead to less pain, less scarring, a lower risk of certain complications, and a quicker recovery.
Many patients do. After surgery, your care team may recommend additional treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, to destroy any remaining cancer cells and lower the risk of the cancer coming back. Your surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists will work together to plan the next steps in your care.