Surgery means cutting the body's tissue. It is one of the primary cancer treatments and can be used for many reasons. Surgery may be used:

• to diagnose cancer
• to excise (remove) cancer
• to determine how big the cancer is and whether it has spread to other parts of the body
• to control cancer symptoms
• to restore parts of the body (breast reconstruction)
• to enhance the appearance of a body part

Surgery can cure many types of cancer.

The type of surgery will depend on the kind of cancer being treated. Your doctor or nurse can give you specific information on your surgery.