Dr. Pavan Kumar C. G. is a Consultant Surgical Oncologist and Robotic & Advanced Laparoscopic Cancer Surgeon practising in Hubli-Dharwad. He specialises in gastrointestinal cancers, breast cancer, oral cancer, gynecological cancers and soft-tissue tumours.
Being told that you need cancer surgery can bring many questions: How should I prepare? What should I eat? Should I stop my medicines? Is robotic or laparoscopic surgery possible? How long will recovery take?
Cancer surgery today is not only about removing a tumour. Modern surgical oncology focuses on complete cancer removal, preservation of healthy tissue and faster recovery whenever safely possible.
Age should never be the sole factor in deciding whether a patient can undergo cancer surgery. With modern minimally invasive techniques and careful patient selection, even elderly patients can achieve excellent outcomes.
We recently had the privilege of treating an 81-year-old patient who presented with intractable diarrhoea, severe weight loss, and significant frailty. The patient was thin, emaciated, and had experienced a marked decline in quality of life.
Retrosternal goitres often appear intimidating on imaging, particularly when they extend deep into the mediastinum and cause significant tracheal compression. However, an important surgical principle remains true: the majority of retrosternal goitres can be safely excised through a cervical approach without the need for sternotomy.
An elderly patient presented with abdominal pain and anemia, raising concern for an underlying gastrointestinal pathology. At an earlier stage, the patient had refused colonoscopy and biopsy due to fear of pain and the possibility of major surgery.
An elderly patient presented with abdominal pain and anemia, prompting further evaluation. Colonoscopy with biopsy revealed a diagnosis of carcinoma of the ascending colon, and staging workup suggested a locally advanced disease (cT3N1M0) without distant metastasis.
A 56-year-old male patient presented with a right renal mass consistent with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), measuring 10 × 8 cm, involving the upper pole and extending to the renal hilum.
Given the tumor location and extent, nephron-sparing (partial) surgery was not feasible, and the patient was planned for laparoscopic right radical nephrectomy.
The procedure was performed using a minimally invasive laparoscopic approach, allowing precise dissection and safe control of the renal hilum while adhering to oncological principles. The surgery was completed successfully without intraoperative complications.
The patient had an excellent postoperative course, with minimal pain, early mobilisation, and rapid recovery, and was discharged on postoperative day 5.
This case highlights the role of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in managing large renal tumors where nephron-sparing is not feasible, offering the benefits of minimally invasive surgery while ensuring oncological adequacy and patient-centered recovery.
A 68-year-old female with squamous cell carcinoma of the lower esophagus (cT3N0M0) developed an iatrogenic esophageal perforation following endoscopy, leading to mediastinitis.
A 34-year-old woman, evaluated for persistent bronchitic symptoms, was incidentally found to have an anterior mediastinal mass on imaging. Further diagnostic workup confirmed a thymoma, with no associated paraneoplastic manifestations.
