Why does cancer kill?
Usually, by the time a tumour is clinically detectable, it will be several centimeters in diameter, have acquired a blood supply, and may have spread to other organs. While surgery may be successful in removing the primary tumour, it is often difficult to detect, let alone excise, the secondary tumours. Further, removal of the primary tumour may stimulate the secondary tumours to enter a phase of rapid growth and to initiate their own vasculature. The resulting damage to vital organs can have fatal consequences for the patient.
Treating Cancer
When a tumour is detected, surgery is often the treatment of first recourse, the aim being to eradicate as much of the tumour mass as is feasible while retaining as much normal function of the affected tissue as possible. In order to minimise the growth of residual tumour fragments and any metastases, surgery is usually followed by a course of chemo- or radiotherapy. The choice and efficacy of a particular course of treatment will be tumour specific. As a result, if more detailed information is available concerning the tumour's composition (and, in particular, the genetic mutations present in the tumour) it should be possible to develop patient-tumour-specific treatment protocols.