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Questions About Cancer? 1-800-4-CANCER

NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

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curative surgery  listen  (KYOOR-uh-tiv SER-juh-ree)

  An operation to remove cancerous tissue. Part or all of the organ or tissue in which the cancer started and a small amount of healthy tissue around the cancer is removed. Nearby lymph nodes may also be removed. Curative surgery may be used as primary therapy for localized cancer and is often followed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill any cancer cells that remain.