Turkish Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Turan BAYHAN, Ali VARAN, Münevver BÜYÜKPAMUKÇU

Hacettepe Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Pediatrik Onkoloji Bilim Dalı, Ankara

Keywords: Pediatric oncological surgery, Wilms’ tumor, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, hepatoblastoma, lymphoma

Abstract

Surgery has a critical role in multimodal approach towards childhood cancer. Surgical interventions are required in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of tumors. Depending on the type of tumor, application site and importance of surgical interventions change. In lymphomas surgery has a role only in diagnosis, however, surgery is an indispensable component of treatment in Wilms’ tumor. Timing of surgical excision differs dependent on the type of tumor, response to chemotherapy, and approaches of treatment groups. For example, in North American approach recommends primary excision of the Wilms’ tumor at the time of diagnosis. In contrast, initial chemotherapy and consequent surgery are advised in European treatment group. In this paper we reviewed current surgical approach and role of surgeons in the treatment of tumors that are frequently seen in pediatric surgery clinics.