Oncology underpins almost every field of modern surgery. This episode introduces the core principles that guide surgical cancer care — tumour biology, staging, grading, and the rationale behind multimodal treatment.

We explore how cancers grow, invade, metastasise, and recur, and why surgical margins, lymph node assessment, and timing of intervention matter. The episode also addresses neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies, MDT decision-making, and the ethical balance between cure, control, and quality of life.

Rather than focusing on individual cancers, this chapter equips listeners with a framework for thinking oncologically — allowing principles learned here to be applied across specialties and clinical scenarios.

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