Surgical Oncology

In addition to a full range of medical and radiation oncology services, the Spencer Cancer Center offers our patients technologically advanced diagnostic and surgical techniques.

Minimally Invasive Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery is surgery performed through small incisions. Combining specialized techniques with state-of-the-art equipment, surgeons at East Alabama Health can perform many types of surgeries to diagnose and treat cancer through an incision that requires only a stitch or two to close.

Robotic-Assisted Surgery

In addition to less pain and a shorter hospital stay, the da Vinci robotic surgical system at East Alabama Health, which turns a previously invasive procedure into a minimally invasive surgical procedure, promises less scarring, less blood loss, less risk of infection and a quicker recovery overall.

Reconstructive Surgery

Reconstructive surgery is performed by plastic surgeons who reconstruct the area affected by surgical removal of cancer.

Stereotactic Breast Biopsy

Stereotactic breast biopsy is a safe and minimally invasive form of breast biopsy. This procedure is used to obtain tiny samples from an abnormal breast mass for examination by a pathologist. Biopsies are the only definitive way to determine if a breast abnormality is benign (non-cancerous) or malignant.

Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) Biopsy

The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node to which cancer is likely to spread from the primary tumor. Cancer cells may appear in the sentinel node before spreading to other lymph nodes. During the procedure, the sentinel lymph node is removed and examined under a microscope to determine whether cancer cells are present.