The Surgical Oncology course is designed to provide medical students with a comprehensive understanding of the evaluation, diagnosis, and surgical management of patients with malignant diseases. As an independent course within the medical curriculum, it integrates basic sciences, including cancer biology, tumor pathophysiology, genetics, and the principles of metastasis, with clinical and operative surgical principles essential for safe and effective oncologic care.
Students are exposed to a wide spectrum of malignancies, including gastrointestinal, breast, thoracic, head and neck, genitourinary, soft tissue, bone, and pediatric cancers. Emphasis is placed on understanding tumor biology, staging and grading systems, indications for biopsy, imaging interpretation, and surgical resection with oncologic principles such as adequate margins, lymph node clearance, and organ preservation when appropriate.
Practical exposure is a key component of the course. Students participate in clinical rotations, outpatient clinics, tumor boards, and operative observations, allowing them to understand preoperative assessment, intraoperative decision-making, and postoperative care. The course also addresses oncologic emergencies—including spinal cord compression, bowel obstruction, superior vena cava syndrome, and tumor-related hemorrhage—highlighting the importance of rapid assessment and multidisciplinary management.
Additionally, students learn about minimally invasive and endoscopic oncologic procedures, principles of robotic surgery, and the role of palliative surgical interventions in advanced or terminal disease, including symptom control, pain management, and ethical considerations in end-stage cancer care. Pediatric oncology is integrated to familiarize students with age-specific malignancies, such as neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, hepatoblastoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma.
By the end of the course, students are expected to:
- Conduct structured oncologic history-taking and physical examination.
- Understand the biological behavior and staging of major cancers.
- Recognize and respond appropriately to oncologic emergencies.
- Demonstrate awareness of multidisciplinary approaches in surgical oncology, including collaboration with medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, and pathology.
- Apply knowledge of operative principles to plan and observe safe oncologic surgical interventions.
This course equips future physicians with the essential knowledge, clinical judgment, and foundational surgical skills necessary to provide evidence-based, safe, and patient-centered care to individuals with cancer across diverse clinical settings.
