Risks and Side Effects of Cancer Surgery
Any medical procedure has risks. Before you decide to have surgery or any other procedure, it’s important to understand the risks and what will be done to reduce them.
Each procedure has its own risks and side effects. Be sure to ask your surgical team about your risks. The expected benefits of the surgery should outweigh the possible risks.
Your surgical team will take many steps to reduce your risk of side effects and complications. Special leg pumps (pneumatic or compression stockings) and low-dose blood thinners might be used to avoid blood clots, and breathing treatments (respiratory therapy) to help prevent pneumonia. Ask your doctor about the possible complications of your surgery and what will be done to help prevent them.
Safety before and during surgery
There are always risks if you are having surgery. Your surgeon and surgical team will talk to you about these before you give your permission for the surgery.
Hospitals and surgical centers have protocols to reduce some of these risks such as surgical checklists and standard steps for communication. These are for your safety even if they seem repetitive. Some of the steps to prevent common risks include:
- Making sure that you are the person who should be getting the surgery. The surgical and operating room staff will ask you to identify yourself by stating your name and birthdate, which is compared to the ID band you got when you checked in or were admitted.
- Making sure that you get the right surgery. You will be asked to confirm that you are supposed to be getting the surgery planned. Your surgeon may also mark the site for the surgery on your body with a marker. This is most important if your surgery is on a specific side of your body, such as a mastectomy on your right breast.
- Taking steps to lower the risk of infection after your surgery. Your skin will be cleansed with special products to get rid of any pathogens that could cause infection. You might also be given antibiotics before, during, and sometimes after surgery.
- Monitoring your body temperature and keeping it in a safe range. This can help prevent some side effects of surgery that might make recovery harder.
- Performing checks to make sure no surgical equipment is left in your body. Operating room staff do equipment counts before your surgery is finished.
If you have questions or are worried, be sure to ask your surgical team before your operation.
Possible side effects of cancer surgery
Side effects from surgery can be caused by the surgery itself, the medicines used, and your overall health. In general, the more complex the surgery, the greater the risk of side effects.
Minor operations and taking tissue samples (biopsies) usually have less risk than a bigger surgery. Pain at the surgery site is the most common problem. Infections at the site and reactions to the medicines used to numb the area (local anesthesia) are also possible.
Side effects are possible during and after surgery. These side effects usually are not life-threatening and get better with treatment.
You might not feel like eating and drinking as much as you usually do. Poor appetite is common, especially if you had general anesthesia. You may lose weight.
Your appetite almost always returns and you will be back to your normal weight as the effects of surgery wear off. If your appetite does not come back, tell a member of your surgical team.
Bleeding can happen with any surgery and is usually controlled. Bleeding can happen either inside the body (internally) or outside the body (externally). Bleeding can occur if a blood vessel was not sealed off during surgery or if a wound opens up.
You may have some bleeding from your incision after surgery. Your surgical team will tell you how to take care of your incision and when to let them know if you are bleeding. Your wound will likely be covered with a dry bandage.
If you are bleeding a lot, put pressure on your incision site until you can get to your surgeon's office or the emergency room. It may help to put more gauze over your bandage to soak up any extra blood.
Your surgical team will try to limit bleeding when working near blood vessels. They may also check lab tests to see if your blood is less likely to clot normally.
It does not happen often, but if your bleeding is severe, you might need to have another operation to find and stop its source. If you bleed enough, you might need a blood transfusion to replace what you’ve lost.