Surgical Oncology Division

Surgical cancer treatments

Depending on the type and stage of a cancer diagnosis, surgery may be recommended as an effective treatment. Today’s advancements in surgical cancer treatment allow for a wide range of procedures. Your cancer treatment and cancer surgery options will be determined by a highly trained and compassionate AHN surgical oncologist. These surgical oncologists perform a wide range of procedures, which may be minimally invasive (using small incisions and specialized instruments) or open surgeries (involving larger incisions). A cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment can feel overwhelming and even scary. Consulting with a qualified surgical oncologist can help you understand your options and is essential in determining the most appropriate course of action for your specific situation.

AHN surgical oncologists work closely with other cancer specialists, including medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiology, pathologists, and nurses to develop comprehensive treatment plans for patients. Extensive review of a patient’s prognosis ensures everyone on the care team has an in-depth understanding of the cancer treatment and potential surgery. Surgical treatment is also reviewed and discussed, and tumor boards allow for medical oncologists, interventional radiology, and our clinical trials teams to meet daily to discuss treatment plans. Surgical oncology approaches may include:

• Cytoreductive surgery
• Skin excisions for skin cancer
• Adrenalectomies
• Pancreatectomy

Resection procedures

A resection procedure is a cancer surgery to remove a tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue to ensure there is no additional growth or spread. The goal is to get rid of all the cancer cells. The type of resection depends on where the tumor is and how big it is. A surgical oncologist might do:

• Wide local excision: Removing the tumor and a larger margin of surrounding healthy tissue.
• Partial resection (or segmental resection): Removing only the part of an organ containing the tumor. For example, removing part of a lung or bowel.
• Total resection: Removing the entire organ where the tumor is located. For example, removing the whole thyroid gland or kidney.
• En bloc resection: Removing the tumor and several surrounding structures at once, as a single block of tissue. This is often used when the cancer has spread to nearby tissues.

The specific type of resection depends on the individual patient and their cancer.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a specialized cancer treatment where heated chemotherapy drugs are directly delivered into the abdomen. This targets cancer cells that may have spread to the lining of the abdomen, called the peritoneum. The peritoneum is a thin membrane that lines the entire abdominal cavity and covers most of the abdominal organs. Think of it as a large, internal sac. Because the chemotherapy is delivered directly to the peritoneum, higher concentrations of the drug can be used compared to systemic chemotherapy (delivered through the bloodstream), potentially killing more cancer cells while limiting side effects in other parts of the body. HIPEC is primarily used for certain types of cancers that have spread to the peritoneum, such as colorectal, appendiceal, and ovarian cancers.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is often used in treating and managing metastatic cancers. Using immunotherapy in conjunction with other treatments can be an effective way slow or limit the spread of cancer throughout the body. Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. In the context of metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread to distant parts of the body), immunotherapy aims to boost the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells that have traveled beyond the original tumor site. 

Hepatic artery infusion pump

The hepatic artery infusion (HAI) pump is an advanced treatment for tumors. AHN is one of the few hospital systems in Pennsylvania to provide this treatment option. An HAI pump is a small, implantable device that delivers chemotherapy directly to the liver through the hepatic artery. This method concentrates the chemotherapy drugs in the liver, targeting liver tumors or cancerous cells that have spread to the liver while minimizing exposure to other organs, reducing systemic side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy. The pump continuously releases chemotherapy, providing long-term treatment. The pump isn’t an option for everyone, but your surgical oncologist will be able to talk through your options with you and determine the best plan.

Pancreatic surgery

Oftentimes, because early detection is so difficult, pancreatic cancer is diagnosed late or in the metastatic stage. That’s where surgical oncologists can enter to help determine treatment. The pancreas is a crucial organ that sits directly behind your stomach and runs across the abdomen horizontally. When there is a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and surgery is recommended, some or all the pancreas and surrounding organs are surgically removed for a variety of reasons. The type of surgery selected depends on the diagnosis and the portion of the pancreas that is affected.  Surgery is generally recommended to treat cancer, prevent cancer, or improve quality of life.

Conditions treated with pancreatic surgery include:

• Pancreatic cancer: Cancer developing within the pancreas.
• Neuroendocrine tumors: Cancer developing from the hormone-producing cells in the pancreas.
• Pancreatic cysts: Fluid-filled growth within the pancreas. There are different types including benign, precancerous, or cancerous cysts.
• Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas. This may be new onset (acute) or present for a long amount of time (chronic).
• Ampullary cancers: Cancer in the muscle valve at the bottom of the bile duct.
• Duodenal cancers: Cancer of the first part of the small intestine.
• Bile duct cancer: Cancer of the portion of the bile duct within the pancreas.
• Metastatic tumors from kidney cancer or melanoma: Tumors that spread to the pancreas but started elsewhere.

Types of pancreatic surgery

[From intake document:] Our surgeons are very experienced in all pancreatectomy procedures. A pancreatectomy is surgery to remove a portion or all of the pancreas.  The pancreas is part of the digestive system.  This organ regulates blood sugar and makes enzymes that break down food.  The most common reasons that your health care provider may recommend surgery include tumor, premalignant cyst or pancreatitis. We also have extensive experience with robotic and other minimally invasive techniques and complex vascular reconstructions.

Surgery may include:

• Whipple (pancreaticoduodenectomy): Removal of the head of the pancreas, duodenum (small intestine), part of the bile duct and the gallbladder. A portion of the stomach may be removed (standard Whipple) or spared (pylorous sparing Whipple) depending on a number of factors. The stomach is then reconnected to the intestine to allow for digestion.
• Distal pancreatectomy: Removal of the left side of the pancreas (body and tail). The tail of the pancreas is closely related to the spleen. The spleen is often removed as part of this procedure.
• Central pancreatectomy: Removal of the central (neck and/or body) of the pancreas. In this procedure, the head and tail of the pancreas are left intact.  This operation is rarely utilized and only indicated in certain circumstances.
• Total pancreatectomy: Removal of the entire pancreas, duodenum (small intestine), gallbladder, portion of bile duct, and possibly the spleen. This surgery is indicated when the whole pancreas is involved in a disease process or precancerous condition.
• Drainage procedure: Frey or Puestow procedures are surgeries performed to open a blocked pancreatic duct. The blockage generally occurs from pancreatitis or scar tissue.

Surgical cancer care

When it comes to surgical oncology, you want a team who sees you for the individual patient you are with unique needs and specific health goals. That’s AHN. Our surgical cancer care is highly personalized and delivered by compassionate, skilled surgeons who are dedicated to your diagnosis and treatment. At AHN, we use the latest technologies and couple that with comprehensive care that truly makes a difference.

Leadership

Division of Surgical Oncology

Use Find Care for a full list of AHN surgical oncologists.

How to get care

Please call (833) 246-7662 to make an appointment directly with the surgical oncologist that has the focus for your specific needs. 

Second opinions

We may be able to help you after your initial diagnosis and offer a second opinion. Please call our office to make an appointment for your second opinion options.

Your first appointment

Bring any test results or imaging done outside of our office with you to your first appointment. If you or a health care provider has medical films, slides, or other information that would be helpful, use the Medical Records page to learn more about transferring documents.

We will assess your condition and begin to create your individualized and comprehensive plan. All our patients are evaluated and discussed at the multidisciplinary pancreatic cancer conference, which means multiple doctors will provide input on your health plan and next steps.

Clinical trials and research

AHN participates in many clinical trials and conducts research to identify new ways of treating cancer. Talk with your doctor or care team about whether a clinical trial or being part of ongoing research is right for you. Current research and clinical trials include:

• Phase One Immunotherapy
• Metastatic abdominal cancer
• Circulating cancer biomarkers (blood tests for cancer detection)
• HAI therapy for metastatic liver cancer
• Adoptive cell therapy for cancer

Find currently active clinical trials that are open for participation.

Refer your patient to an AHN specialist

There are two ways for medical professionals, who are not a part of Allegheny Health Network, to refer their patients to an AHN specialist and request their first appointment. You can:

1. Call (833) 246-7662.
2. Go to Find Care to find the right AHN specialist and the most convenient location. Then refer your patient, provide relevant patient details, and request an appointment directly from the doctor’s profile.

For more information about referring your patient to an AHN specialist, read the Independent Physician Referral FAQs.

Follow your patient's health care at AHN with EpicCare® Link™ 

After referring your patient to an AHN specialist, use the EpicCare Link platform to collaborate with their AHN specialist, view your patient's test results, treatment plan, and progress.

If you are new to EpicCare Link, or need to request your own EpicCare Link account, check the EpicCare Link for Patient Follow-up for user instructions and new account request forms.

When EpicCare Link is not an option for patients' AHN medical records 

If you can’t access your patient's AHN test results through the EpicCare Link platform, your patient will need to complete and submit the correct AHN Medical Records Release form, based on their state of residency. Support your patient’s request by downloading the correct medical records release form for them:

• AHN Medical Records Release Form for New York state residents [PDF]
• AHN Medical Records Release form for all other patient [PDF]