Final answer:
While surgery can cure localized tumors, its effectiveness as a sole treatment for metastasized cancer is limited. Metastasis often requires a systemic treatment approach, which could include chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted therapies, sometimes in combination with surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
Can Surgery Cure Metastasized Cancer?
Surgery is a common treatment for many isolated, solid cancers and can be curative when the tumor is localized. However, when cancer cells metastasize, meaning they have spread through the bloodstream to form new tumors at distant sites, the efficacy of surgery as a curative treatment significantly decreases. Metastasis often complicates treatment because cancer may appear in multiple organs, requiring a more systemic approach such as chemotherapy, radiation, or hormonal therapy. For instance, Lance Armstrong survived metastasized testicular cancer using treatment with cisplatin. While surgery may still be used to reduce symptoms or to remove some metastatic tumors, it is typically part of a larger, multidisciplinary approach that may include other treatments to target cancer cells more effectively. Researchers continue to develop new pharmaceuticals aimed at specific proteins involved in cancer progression to improve outcomes for patients with metastasized cancer.