Surgical oncology is a surgical subspecialty that focuses on the surgical management of cancer patients.
This sub-specialty has evolved over the years with the proliferation of surgeons and cancer centers that manage cancer patients with various treatment modalities including minimally invasive techniques, palliative surgery, and neo-adjuvant treatments.
There are several surgical oncology fellowship training programs in the United States that have been approved by the Society of Surgical Oncology. Their training period (clinical and research) lasts from 6 to 1o years. Most often, surgical oncologist refers to a general surgical oncologist, but these surgeons may co-manage patients with other surgeons such as: thoracic surgical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists and urologists.
Surgical oncologists, join other physicians in the treatment of cancer patients. They participate in clinical trials. The first Oncology hospital in Puerto Rico was founded in 1941 in Ponce by Dr. Manuel De la Pila Iglesias. It was transferred to the Puerto Rico Medical Center in the 1960’s. Since then surgeons and surgery residents from our Residency Program have helped patients fight cancer.
Dr. Reynold López
Division Director