Surgery for cancer
There are a number of things that happen before you have surgery for cancer. This includes having a pre operative assessment appointment.
There are also things that you can do to prepare for your time in hospital and when you come home.
If your surgeon thinks an operation is the best treatment, they will talk with you about:
why they think surgery is the best option
what operation they think is best
what happens during the operation
possible side effects
the risks and benefits
other options if you decide not to have surgery
any questions you have
This can be a lot of information to take in. It might help to have someone with you at the appointment. They can ask questions and take notes to help you remember what your surgeon says. You are normally given written information about the operation to take home.
It is important you understand everything your surgeon has said before you make your decision. But you might not be able to decide straight away. You may need time to think, especially if it is a large operation. And you may want to talk to family and friends first.
If you have a specialist nurse, you may also find it helpful to talk to them before you make your decision.
Before you have any operation, you need to sign a consent form. This is a written agreement between you and your surgeon. You are signing to say you give them permission to do the operation.
You should only sign the consent form if you fully understand about the operation. If you are still not sure about something, ask your surgeon to explain before you sign.
The hospital will give you a date for the operation if you decide to have surgery.
You may have to wait a few weeks for the operation. This can be a difficult time emotionally, but it does give you time to prepare yourself. It is also a chance to sort anything at home or work that you need to.
Your surgeon might recommend you take part in prehabilitation while you are waiting for your operation. This is a support and advice programme offered by some NHS trusts. It is to help you improve your physical and emotional health in the time you have before treatment.
Find out more about prehabilitation
Smoking can increase the risk of heart and lung complications after an operation. It can also increase the risk of problems with wound healing. Stopping smoking as early as possible before surgery can reduce these risks.
It can be difficult to stop smoking. There are a range of support services and different products to help you.
Some people may not be able to stop before their operation. And others may not want to. But even not smoking in the 1 to 2 days before your surgery helps. This is because the amount of oxygen your blood carries around your body increases if you don’t smoke for a couple of days.
You will not be able to smoke while you are in hospital. The pre operative assessment team can tell you about ways they can help you during this time. This may include giving you nicotine replacement patches to wear during your stay.
Read more about stopping smoking
Heavy alcohol use can also increase the risk of complications after surgery. This includes infections, bleeding and heart problems. It may also take longer to recover.
The pre operative assessment team will ask you how much alcohol you drink and how often you drink it. If you drink more than the recommended amount a week, they may ask you to have extra tests and scans. They will also talk to you about ways to try and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. If necessary, they will refer you for additional support to help you.
Alcohol can affect how well the liver works. If tests show your liver isn’t working properly, they may refer you to a specialist liver or stomach doctor. Some people may go into hospital before their operation to help them cope with the effects of stopping drinking.
Even if you don’t drink more than the recommended weekly amount, you are normally asked not to drink alcohol for 1 to 2 days before your operation.
Read more about cutting down on alcohol
You have a pre operative assessment appointment while you are waiting for your operation. Sometimes you might have the appointment before you are given a date for surgery.
The assessment is to make sure you are well enough to have the anaesthetic and operation. It is also to give you information on how to prepare for surgery.
The hospital might ask you to fill out a questionnaire before your appointment. This asks about your general health and any medication you take. It helps the pre operative assessment team decide who you need to see at your appointment. Some people may be able to have their pre operative assessment over the telephone.
The pre operative assessment team can include:
nurses
medical doctors
surgeons
pharmacists
the pain management team
other health professionals
Who you see at your assessment depends on factors including:
your general health
what operation you are having
For example, if you have heart problems you may see a consultant anaesthetist and have some extra tests. This is because there may be a higher risk of problems during and after the operation. The anaesthetist will talk to you about these risks and what you both can do to lower them. Your hospital might call this a high risk anaesthetic assessment.
At the appointment, the pre operative assessment team:
check your weight, blood pressure, pulse and temperature
check your neck movement and how wide you can open your mouth – it may be more difficult for the anaesthetist to give you a general anaesthetic if you can only open your mouth or move your neck a small amount
ask what help and support you have at home
ask you more questions about your health and medication
ask you about any other operations you have had
ask if you or any of your relatives have had problems with anaesthetics
talk to you about smoking and drinking alcohol before surgery
tell you what to expect on the day of surgery and afterwards
The pre operative assessment team will use this information to plan for your admission, time in hospital and discharge home.
During your appointment they will also give you information about how to prepare for the operation. This includes:
when to stop eating and drinking before surgery
if you need to stop taking any medicines before the operation
showering before surgery and what you can put on your body afterwards such as deodorant
Anything else you need to do depends on what operation you are having. But it may include:
using special soap or wipes to clean your skin before you come to the hospital
taking – this might be if you are having bowel surgery
It is important that you follow all the information you are given, otherwise your operation may have to be postponed.
If you are having a larger operation, the pre operative assessment team normally talk to you about the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programme. This uses research to help people recover quicker after an operation.
Surgery is stressful for your body, especially if it is a large or complex operation. This is because your body must work hard afterwards to get back to normal. Cancer and other health problems can make this more difficult.
Your healthcare team in the hospital help you recover quicker by:
making sure you are physically and emotionally ready for the operation
keeping the amount of stress on your body as low as possible during surgery
helping you get back to normal as quickly as possible afterwards
How they do this depends on what operation you are having. But you can also help with some of these.
You talk with your healthcare team about your surgery and recovery. This can include your pre operative assessment team, surgeon and anaesthetist. It may also include other healthcare professionals such as a physiotherapist or dietitian. They ensure you have the correct information about what to expect. Between you, you set goals for your recovery and start planning your discharge.
They may also give you carbohydrate drinks to have before your operation. This is because the stress of surgery makes your body release certain hormones. These increase the amount of sugar in your blood (hyperglycaemia). This can lead to infections, heart and kidney problems and muscle weakness.
Carbohydrate drinks can keep your blood sugar levels stable and prevent these problems. This means you can get up and start moving about sooner after your operation.
Your surgeon and anaesthetist will try and reduce the stress your body is under by:
making sure you are not too hot or too cold
giving you as short an anaesthetic as possible - they will also use regional anaesthetic when they can
giving you medicines to stop you feeling sick
using a range of painkillers that don’t make you sleepy or feel sick
making the wounds as small as possible
using as few drips and drains as they can
You have regular painkillers to help you get back to normal as soon as possible. This means you normally should be able to sit out in a chair soon after your operation. You will also start going for very short walks in the ward a couple of times a day. You slowly build up how far you walk.
Your doctor will ask for any drips and drains to be removed as soon as they are no longer needed. This means you can move around more easily.
You normally start drinking water soon after you wake up. And you will start eating a few hours afterwards. If you are having surgery on your tummy (abdomen), you usually wait until your doctor is happy that your bowel is working properly before you start. This is because it can slow down and stop working for a short while after an operation.
Some people may even be able to go home the same day as their surgery.
Before surgery you may need to have some tests. These are to make sure you are well enough to have the anaesthetic and operation. Some of these can be done as part of your pre operative assessment. But you might need to come back to the hospital for others.
Whether you have tests and what ones you need, depends on your general health and what operation you are having.
Your pre operative assessment team may ask you to have some blood tests. This is to check your general health and to make sure certain parts of your body are working normally.
You might have blood tests to check:
you don’t have an infection and that you can fight an infection if you get one
your blood can clot normally
you do not have
how well your kidneys are working
your blood group – this is in case you need a during the operation
Sometimes you might have other blood tests. The pre operative assessment team can explain what they are for.
Read more about having a blood test
The pre operative assessment team might ask to take a swab from:
the inside of your nose
your groin
other areas of your body
They run a small stick like a cotton bud around the area. It is to check for a bacteria called methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria which can cause lots of different types of infection. MRSA is a particular type (strain) of staphylococcus aureus bacteria which does not respond to many commonly used antibiotics.
Some people carry MRSA on their skin without it causing them any problems. But it can make them ill if it gets into their body during an operation.
If you have MRSA, you are normally given an antibiotic body wash and nasal cream to use before surgery. Your doctor also gives you antibiotics while you are in hospital.
Read more about screening for MRSA
An ECG checks how well your heart is working. You have small sticky pads put on your chest, wrists and ankles. These are attached to wires which are part of an ECG machine.
The machine shows your heartbeat and heart rhythm as an electrical trace on a screen. It can also be printed out on paper.
An echo is an ultrasound scan of your heart. It shows how well the heart muscles and valves are working. The heart valves are where blood passes from one part of the heart to another.
Your anaesthetist may want you to have an echo to check that the valves in your heart work properly. Or to check that your heart is able to pump enough blood around your body.
Having an echo isn’t painful, but you usually have to lay on your side. Tell the person doing the scan if this is uncomfortable.
Read more about having an echo
Sometimes the pre operative assessment team will ask you to have other tests. This might include:
a chest x-ray to check your lungs look healthy
breathing tests – these are called lung function tests or pulmonary function tests
a test that measures your ability to exercise (cardio pulmonary exercise test)
a urine test – this is to check for an infection in your bladder or kidneys
The pre operative assessment team will explain what the tests are for and how to prepare for them.
The pre operative assessment team usually tell you about breathing and leg exercises to do after your operation. This can reduce the risk of chest infections and blood clots. These can develop if you don’t move around for a while.
This 3-minute video shows you how to do the breathing and leg exercises.
Going into hospital for cancer surgery can be stressful. Knowing the answers to a few questions might make it easier for you to prepare. You might want to ask:
You might be able to go home the same day as your operation. This is called day surgery. Or you might need to stay one or more nights as an inpatient. This depends on the type of surgery you are having and your recovery.
Make sure you know what time you should be at the hospital. And which department you need to go to. Tell them if you are going to have problems getting there on time.
You normally go into hospital on the morning of your operation. Sometimes you may go in the night before. This can depend on the hospital.
Hospital wards normally have set visiting times. This can be different for each ward. They may only let you have a certain number of visitors at one time. And they might not allow young children to visit.
Visitors are not normally allowed on the day surgery unit.
You can normally use your mobile phone in hospital. And you might want to take some headphones that connect to your phone. But there may be times when you won’t have your phone nearby. And sometimes you may not feel like talking.
Some hospitals have phone and television systems above the beds. You normally have to pay to use these.
You might need to sort out a few things before you go into hospital. This can include:
taking time off work
arranging care for children or other loved ones
arranging care for your pets
finding someone to look after your house
cancelling regular deliveries such as milk, newspapers or food deliveries
having false nails, gel, acrylic or other types of long lasting nail varnish removed – you usually need to have these taken off before you go into hospital
arranging how you will get home after your operation
The pre operative assessment team will suggest what to take into hospital.
They may ask you to only take the essentials when you first go in. You can ask your relatives or friends to bring anything else you need when they visit. Let the pre operative assessment team know if this will not be possible.
Some examples of what to take are:
your medicines
nightwear
underwear
dressing gown
slippers
comfortable day clothes and shoes to wear after your operation
any glasses or contact lenses you wear – including any cleaning solution or a glasses case
wash bag with soap, a flannel or sponge, toothbrush and toothpaste
sanitary wear or tampons
a razor
a towel – hospital towels tend to be quite small
a small amount of money
magazines, books, playing cards
headphones and music to listen to
your mobile phone or a tablet and charger
a copy of your last clinic letter (if you have one)
People often go home very early after surgery. But it is important that you don’t do too much when you get back. It may help to make some plans in advance.
You might want to prepare or buy some meals that you can heat up once you are at home. You may also want to arrange to have your shopping delivered.
You might not be able to drive for a while after surgery. This depends on what operation you have had. You may need to arrange for a friend or relative to drive you.
You may not be able to lift anything heavy after surgery. So, you may need help with small children and essential jobs around the house such as clothes washing.
Find out what happens on the day of your operation
It is normal to feel nervous about going into hospital and having an operation. You may find it helpful to try some relaxation techniques.
If you need help to manage your feelings about your operation, speak to your GP or the hospital where you are having the surgery.
Last reviewed: 27 Mar 2025
Next review due: 27 Mar 2028
Surgery is a procedure to remove or repair some of the tissue in your body. It is one of the main treatments for some cancers. But you may also have it for other reasons.
Your nurse makes sure you are ready for surgery. And you see your surgeon and anaesthetist. When it is time, you go to the operating theatre.
What happens after surgery depends on the type of anaesthetic, operation and how well you recover. You normally have a wound. And you may have some tubes and drains when you wake up.
There is a risk of complications after any surgery. This includes infection, blood clots and pain. Other problems can depend on what operation you have.
Treatments can include surgery, radiotherapy and drug treatments (such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted cancer drugs). Find out about treatments and how to cope with side effects.
Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.
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