Specialty Services

Surgical Oncology

In addition to a full range of medical and radiation oncology services, The Cancer Center at Northeast Georgia Medical Center offers patients advanced diagnostic and surgical techniques including:

Minimally Invasive Surgery - In simple terms, minimally invasive surgery is surgery performed through small incisions. Using specialized techniques either laparoscopically or with the da Vinci Surgical Robot, miniature cameras with microscopes, tiny fiber-optic flashlights and high definition monitors, Northeast Georgia Health System surgeons in many specialties can perform surgery, including many types of surgeries to diagnose and treat cancer, through an incision that requires only a stitch or two to close.

Radiofrequency Liver Ablation (RFA) - Radiofrequency ablation works by inserting a thin needle guided by computed tomography (CT) or ultrasound through the skin and into a tumor. Electrical energy delivered through this needle heats and destroys the tumor. During the following months, dead cells turn into a harmless scar. During the short RF ablation treatment, patients are under general anesthesia. In most cases, a tumor can be adequately treated with one treatment session. A treatment takes about 15 minutes. Typically, RF ablation creates a zone of tissue destruction 3 - 5 centimeters in size. After treatment, patients spend a night in the hospital and go home the next day. The procedure can be repeated is new cancer appears.

Surgical Clinical Trials – Through the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group, the surgeons who practice at Northeast Georgia Health System participate in national research trials with the goal of improving surgical care for cancer patients.

Reconstructive Surgery – Reconstructive surgery is performed by plastic surgeons who reconstruct the area affected by surgical removal of cancer.

Stereotactic Breast Biopsy - Stereotactic breast biopsy is a safe and minimally invasive form of breast biopsy. It is used to obtain tiny samples from an abnormal breast mass for examination by a pathologist. Biopsies are the only definitive way to confirm if a breast abnormality is benign (non-cancerous) or not.

Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) Biopsy -The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node to which cancer is likely to spread from the primary tumor. Cancer cells may appear in the sentinel node before spreading to other lymph nodes. In some cases, there can be more than one sentinel lymph node. SLN biopsy is a procedure in which the sentinel lymph node is removed and examined under a microscope to determine whether cancer cells are present. For more information about SNL, click here.

For more information about surgical oncology procedures available at The Cancer Center, call 770-219-8800. For a listing of surgeons practicing at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, click below.

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The Cancer Center

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